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BS  2505  .B56 
Bird,  Robert. 
Paul  of  Tarsus 


PAUL  OF  TARSUS 


Paul  of  Tarsus 


BY  / 

ROBERT     BIRD 

Author  of  '■^ Jesus ^  the  Carpenter  of  Nazareth^ 


i 


NEW  YORK 

CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 

1900 


PREFACE, 


This  Life  of  Paul  of  Tarsus  is  written  with  a  fresh  aim,  and  on  a 
new  plan.  It  is  intended  to  be  read  with  the  interest  of  biography 
and  the  accuracy  of  history,  in  which  thoughts,  scenes,  and  events 
are  woven  into  one. 

Children  love  Jesus,  but  they  do  not  understand  Paul.  The 
figure  of  Jesus  has  come  down  through  the  ages,  clear  cut 
as  on  a  gem,  so  that  artists  can  paint  and  authors  picture 
Him;  but  it  is  not  so  with  His  greatest  apostle.  His  figure 
is  blurred  and  lost,  amid  white  mists  and  black  shadows. 
Much  has  been  written  about  his  writings,  not  much  about 
himself.  No  artist  has  ever  made  of  Paul  a  great  picture. 
A  controversialist  and  theologian  by  long  training,  his  outline  is 
difficult  to  draw;  and  yet  his  travels  and  writings  are  half  the 
New  Testament.  No  one  has  left  his  stamp  more  deeply  upon 
Christianity,  or  spread  it  farther ;  and  his  missionary  work  is  the 
model  for  all.  Jesus  lit  the  torch;  Paul  ran  with  it  into  dark 
lands.  And  yet  to  many  he  is  little  better  than  a  theological 
abstraction. 

I  have  already  tried  in  "Jesus,  the  Carpenter  of  Nazareth*' 
to  set  forth  Jesus  as  the  friend  of  little  children,  and  in  this 
book  I  would  present  to  young  readers  the  living  figure  of  Paul, 
not  so  much  as  the  inspired  teacher — that  has  been  often  done 
— but  as  the  Pharisee  whose  life  was  changed  at  thirty  from  a 


VI  PREFACE. 

fierce  and  violent  hater  of  Jesus  to  an  ardent  lover;    who  hore 
the  scars  of  his  old  life,  and  lamented  them  to  the  end. 

In  doing  this,  I  have  drawn  him  in  brown  cloak  and  sandals, 
amid  ever-changing  scenery,  giving  shape  and  colour  as  with  a 
brush.  I  have  also  broken  up  and  paraphrased  his  writings,  so 
that  they  are  no  more  presented  in  long  epistles  to  be  passed 
over,  but  bit  by  bit,  in  their  settings,  to  be  taken  in  with  the 
narrative.  In  this  I  may  not  win  the  approval  of  biblical 
students  and  theologians;  but  if  a  reasonably  close  picture  has 
been  presented,  which  interests  the  young,  and  awakens  their  ad- 
miration for  the  life  and  work  of  one  who  did  so  much  for  our 
common  religion,  I  shall  be  satisfied  with  having  reached  an 
audience  to  which  more  learned  works  do  not  appeal. 

KoBERT  Bird. 
May  1900, 


CONTENTS. 


BOUGH  AND  SMOOTH  CILICIA,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  1 

TARSUS,   A  FAMOUS  CITY,            ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  8 

HIS  NAME,      ...               ...               ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  6 

HIS  mother's  stories,             ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  7 

HIS  father's  TEACHING,            ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  9 

PREPARING  FOR  SCHOOL,            ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  H 

A  children's  school,                ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  13 

the  bible  lesson  book,        ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  1* 

hatred  of  strangers,          ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  17 

the  five  books  op  moses,    ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  18 

white-eyed  ships  in  the  harbour,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  20 

Cleopatra's  gold  boat,        ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  22 

the  cheerful  sabbath  lamp,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  24 

the  star-lamp  of  the  synagogue,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  26 

learning  the  religious  laws,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  28 

roman  soldiers  and  processions,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  29 

synagogue  festivals,           ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  31 

the  gymnasium  and  racecourse,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  33 

learning  the  traditions,    ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  35 

his  father  the  pharisee,    ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  36 

HIS  sister's  MARRIAGE,             ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  38 

THE  JOYFUL  PASSOVER  SUPPER,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  40 

PILGRIMS  FOR  JERUSALEM,        ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  41 

IDOLS,   TEMPLES,   AND   STRANGE  LEARNING,  ...  ...  ...  ...  4* 

THE  RIVER  AND  WHITE  FALL,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  45 

A  SON  OF  THE  LAW,  ...               ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  47 

THE  WEAVING  SHED,  ...                ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  49 

TENTMAKING  AND  STUDYING,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  •••  ^1 

LEAVING  TARSUS,          ...                ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ••.  ^4 

JOURNEYING  TOWARDS  JERUSALEM,  ...  .  .  ...  ...  ...  6^ 

THROUGH  THE  SYRIAN  GATES,  ...  ...  ...  .  .  ...  68 

FIRST  SIGHT  OP  PALESTINE,      ...  .«  ...  ...  —  ,,.90 


Vlll 


CONTENTS. 


GREEN  VALES  AND  WOODED  HILLS, 

THE  VISION  OF  JERUSALEM,      ... 

CROWDS  IN  THE  STREETS, 

IN  THE  TEMPLE  COURTS, 

A  DAY  IN  THE  TEMPLE, 

THE  OLD   RABBI   GAMALIEL,       ... 

SLAYING  THE  WHITE  LAMBS,    ... 

CUTTING  THE  FIRST  SHEAF,      ... 

THE  MORNING  SACRIFICE, 

TAKING   DOWN  THE  STRIPED  TENTS,       ... 

ABOUT  WASHING  HANDS, 

HOW  TO  BE  A  PHARISEE, 

ZION  HILL  AND  THE  CITY  GATES, 

KEDRON  BRIDGE  AND  OLIVET, 

WHITE   WILLOW   BASKETS, 

NEW  MOONS  AND  HORN-BLOWING, 

SCARLET  FLOWERS  AND  GOLD  BELLS,    ... 

THE  RED   FLANNEL  TONGUE,      ... 

YELLOW   CITRONS  AND  GREEN  MYRTLE, 

OATHS  AND  MARRIAGES, 

THE  COMING  OF  THE  WILD  FLOWERS,    ... 

AFTER  A  YEAR, 

JESUS, 

JESUS  AND  PAUL, 

YEARS  OF   STUDY  IN  JERUSALEM, 

THE  ROMAN  STANDARDS, 

THE  GOLDEN   SHIELDS, 

ROMAN  OPPRESSION,   ... 

LONGING  FOR  THE  MESSIAH,    ... 

JOHN  THE  BAPTIST,    ... 

JESUS  AND  THE  RABBIS, 

COME,   FOLLOW  ME,      ... 

PAUL  HEARS  ABOUT  JESUS,       ... 

DISPUTING  WITH  THE  NAZAEENES, 

STEPHEN  THE  SPEAKER, 

STEPHEN  A  PRISONER, 

STONING   STEPHEN,       ... 

PERSECUTING   THE  NAZARENES, 

FLIGHT  OF  THE  NAZARENES,    ... 

FIGHTING  AGAINST  GOD, 

THROUGH  JESUS'  LAND, 

PASSING  THE  BLUE  LAKE, 

"why  PERSECUTEST  THOU  ME?" 

IN  DARKNESS  AND  MISERY,      ... 

THE  GREAT  CHANGE,  ... 

PAUL  THE  NAZARENE, 


CONTENTS. 


IX 


mS  FIKST   SPEECH,      ... 

PETER,    THE  OLD  FISHERMAN,  ... 

THE  BROTHER  OF  JESUS, 

SAILING  TO  TARSUS,    ... 

TENTMAKING  AT  HOME, 

THE  emperor's  BRASS  IMAGE, 

BARNABAS  THE  LEVITE, 

THE  CITY  OF  BATTLEMENTS,     ... 

FIRST  CALLED  CHRISTIANS,       ... 

herod's  glittering  BOBE,     ... 

HELP  FOR  THE  POOR  CHRISTIANS, 

A  FAMILIAR  VOYAGE, 

DEAD  IDOLS  AND  THE  LIVING  GOD, 

SAILING  OUT  TO  CYPRUS, 

THROUGH  THE  ISLE  OF  VENUS, 

SERGIUS  PAULUS,    THE  GOVERNOR, 

ELYMAS,   THE  MAGICIAN, 

m  AN  OPEN  BOAT,       ... 

HOT  PLAINS  AND  COOL  MOUNTAINS, 

SPEAKING  IN  A  SYNAGOGUE,     ... 

A  STRANGE  SYNAGOGUE  SCENE, 

PUT  OUT  OF  THE  CITY, 

STONE  THEM  ! 

ARE  THEY  JUPITER  AND  MERCURY? 

BULLS  AND  FLOWER-ROPES,       ... 

STONED  AND  CAST  OUT, 

AMID  SNOW  AND  ICE, 

MELTING  ICE  AND  VANISHING  SNOWS, 

BY  FLOWERY  FIELDS, 

SUNSHINE  AND  WAVES, 

A  WIDE-OPEN  DOOR,   ... 

FALSE  JERUSALEM  CHRISTIANS, 

CAN  FOREIGNERS  BE  CHRISTIANS? 

A  WINTER  RIDE, 

TRYING  A  MIDDLE  COURSE,       ... 

RIDING  AND  REJOICING, 

A  HOT  DISPUTE, 

READING  THE  LETTER  IN  SYRIA, 

WHERE  ARMIES  PASS, 

OVER  THE  DARK  MOUNTAINS,  ... 

THE  YOUTHFUL  TIMOTHY, 

THE  SULTAN  MOUNTAINS, 

ACROSS  ASIA, 

THE  WHITE  PLAINS  OF  TROY,  ... 

ROSE  LEAVES  AND  A  CONE  OF  GOID, 

LYDLA  THE  PUEPLE-SELLEE,      ... 


151 

154 
157 


163 
165 
167 
170 
172 
174 
177 
179 
181 
183 
186 
188 
190 
192 
194 
197 
200 
204 


210 
212 
214 
216 
218 


224 
226 


231 


238 
240 
242 
245 
247 
249 


X  CONTENTS. 

IN  A  LEAFT  VALE,       ...               ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  256 

SCOURGED  WITH  BIRCH-RODS, ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  258 

AN  EARTHQUAKE,          ...               ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  260 

A  VERY  HUMBLE  APOLOGY,        ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  262 

A  ROMAN  ROAD  AND  A  MARBLE  ARCH,  ...  ...  ...  ...  264 

IN  A  DIM  SYNAGOGUE,                 ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  266 

PINK  HOODS  AND  EMBROIDERED  CLOAKS,  ...  ...  ...  ...  268 

HOLDING  THE  DOOR,  ...                ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  271 

FRIENDLY  SYNAGOGUE  JEWS,    ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  273 

CLOUDY  MOUNT  OLYMPUS,          ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  275 

THE  FLASH  OF  MINERVA'S  HELMET,        ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  278 

BRONZE  STATUES  AND  WHITE  TEMPLES,  ...  ...  ...  ...  280 

ALONE  IN  ATHENS,       ...                ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  283 

THE  SUN-DIAL  OF  ANDRONICUS,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  286 

SPEAKING  IN  THE  PAINTED  PORCH,        ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  288 

ON  MARS'  RED  HILL,  ...                ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  290 

SOME  OTHER  TIME,      ...               ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  293 

THE  SHIP  ROAD,           ...               ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  294 

THE  BRIDGE  OP  THE  SEAS,       ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  296 

DRUNKEN  SAILORS  AND  IDOLS'  TEMPLES,  ...  ...  ...  ...  298 

SHAKING  OUT  HIS  GARMENTS,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  800 

TAKING  SUPPER  TOGETHER,       ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  303 

HIS  FIRST  LETTER,       ...               ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  305 

A  WREATH  OF  GREEN  LEAVES,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  307 

"work  not,  eat  not,"          ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  310 

SWEET  GALLIO,              ...               ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  312 

WHITE  SAILS  AND  BLUE  SEAS,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  315 

AQUILA  THE  WEAVER,                  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  318 

FALSE  CHRISTIANS  AT  WORK,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  321 

CHRISTIANITY  FREE  OR  FETTERED?         ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  324 

"  O  FOOLISH  GALATIANS ! "       ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  326 

BREAKING  THE  FIRST  THREAD,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  328 

OVER  THE  BLACK  MOUNTAINS,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  330 

*•  I  AM  ASTONISHED  !"                ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  332 

ONE  OF  JESUS'  SAYINGS,            ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  334 

A  DANGEROUS  BRIDLE  ROAD,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  336 

A  WONDER  OF  THE  WORLD,      ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  339 

APOLLOS  THE  EGYPTIAN  JEW,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  341 

WEAVING  AND  PREACHING,       ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  343 

BLACK  DIANA,                ...               ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  345 

IN  THE  SCHOOL  OF  TYRANNUS,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  346 

AN  idol's  BIRTHDAY,                    ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  848 

TIDINGS  FROM  CITY  TO  CITY,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  850 

A  SHORT  SAIL,               ...               ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  353 

BURNING  THE  WIZARDS*  BOOKS,  ...  ...               ...  ...  ...  355 

THE  SLAVES  OF  OHLOE,              ...  ...  ...              ...  ...  ...  858 


CONTENTS.  XI 

THE  silversmith's  SPEECH,    ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  862 

"GEEAT  IS  DIANA !"...               ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  364 

AMONG  ISLANDS  AND  CAPES,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  367 

"timothy,   my  true  CHILD,"  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  369 

A  WINTER  VOYAGE,      ...               ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  371 

ON  THE  BLACK  PAVED  KOAD,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  374 

THE  BLUE  MOUNTAINS  OF  GREECE,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  377 

SOME  FOOLISH  BOASTING,           ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  379 

BEGGING  FOR  THE  POOR  JEWS,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  380 

MLNERVA'S  BRIGHT  HELMET,     ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  383 

BOOTING  OUT  FALSEHOODS,       ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  386 

ON  A  PEAK  OF  SUNSHINE,         ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  388 

JERUSALEM,   ROME,   AND  SPAIN,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  391 

HOLLOWS  OP  FLOWERS,               ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  393 

RETURNING  WITH  DREAD  TO  JERUSALEM,  ...  ...  ...  ...  397 

THE  LAD  IN  THE  WINDOW,       ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  399 

A  SORROWFUL  FAREWELL,          ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  402 

SAILING  FROM  ISLAND  TO  ISLAND,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  405 

"why  weep  and  BREAK  MY  HEART?"  ...  ...  ...  ...  408 

ZEALOTS  AND  DAGGER  MEN,     ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  412 

THE  MONEY  HE  GATHERED,       ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  414 

"MEN  OP  ISRAEL,   HELP!"        ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  417 

THE  HAND  OF  LYSIAS,                 ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  420 

A  FREEBORN  ROMAN,                    ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  423 

"  I  AM   A  PHARISEE  ! "                 ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  425 

SAVED  BY  HIS  NEPHEW,              ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  427 

A  NIGHT  RIDE  TO  THE  SEA,     ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  430 

TERTULLUS  THE  ADVOCATE,      ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  433 

"when  LYSIAS  COMES,"            ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  485 

A  LOVELY  JEWISH  PRINCESS,    ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  437 

ONESIMUS  THE  SLAVE,                 ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  439 

WRITING  WITH  A  CHAINED  HAND,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  442 

SENDING  OUT  MESSENGERS,       ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  444 

A  WELCOME  TO  THE  NEW  GOVEENOE,    ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  446 

AN  ARROW  OVER  THEIR  HEADS,  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  449 

THE  LAST  JEWISH  KINGLET,     ...  ...  ...  .,.  ...  ...  452 

**PAUL,   ARE  YOU  MAD?"           ...  ,„  ...  ,.,  ...  ...  454 

LOOKING  OUT  FOR  A  SHIP,        ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  457 

A  SHIP  FOR  ROME,       ...               ...  ...  ,„  ...  ...  ...  459 

A  STORM  AND  A  DREAM,            ...  ...  „.  ,«  ...  ...  462 

SHIPWRECKED  AT  MALTA,           ...  ...  ...  „.  ...  ...  463 

IN  THE   "twin  BROTHERS,'*     ...  .„  ,„  ...  ...  ...  465 

SCYLLA  AND  CUARYBDIS,            ...  ...  ...  ,..  ...  ...  467 

ALONG  THE  APPIAN  WAY,          ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  469 

FRIENDS  FROM  ROME,                   ...  ...  .,4  ...  ...  ...  472 

THR  qVMEiK  OW  EOADS,               ^  ,..  ..,  ^  47* 


xu 


CONTENTS. 


THE  GOLDEN  Pn^LAE, 

THE  0LDE3T  BRIDGE, 

ALL  DAY  DISCUSSING  CHRISTIANITY, 

THE  SIGN  OF  THE  FISH, 

HIS  CHAIN  AND  GUARD, 

HOPES  AND  FEARS,      ... 

NERO  THE  MONSTER,  ... 

FESTIVALS  AND  THE  HIGHER  LIFE, 

WEDDINGS  AND  LITTLE  CHILDREN, 

A  MOCK  CHARIOT  RACE, 

ONE  MORE  LETTER,      ... 

CLOUD  PICTURES, 

THE  BURNING  OF  ROME, 

**T0  THE  LIONS  WITH  THE  CHRISTIANS 

JESUS  AND  PAUL, 

THE  FIGHT,  THE  FAITH,  THE  CROWN,  - 


478 

479 

4:89. 

484 


491 
493 


500 
502 
504 
507 
509 
512 


LIFE    AND    TRAVELS    OF 
PAUL    OF    TARSUS. 


Rough   and  Smooth   Cih'cia. 

THE  ancient  city  of  Tarsus,  in  which  Paul  was  born,  was  the 
capital  of  Cilicia,  a  Roman  province  about  twice  the  size  of 
Yorkshire.  It  was  situated  in  a  wide  and  beautiful  plain,  ex- 
tending from  the  shores  of  the  blue  Mediterranean  to  the  foot 
of  the  dark  Taurus  mountains,  with  a  winding  river  passing 
through  it.  Tarsus  is  still  there,  shrunk  to  a  small  town,  and  the 
river  has  left  it ;  but  some  of  the  thick  walls  which  Paul  saw  can 
still  be  seen,  ruined  and  water-worn,  with  tufts  of  yellow  grass  on 
the  top,  and  red  flowers  in  crannies,  and  green  with  the  sprays 
and  streamers  of  climbing  plants.  A  bridge,  through  Avhich  the 
child  walked  and  ran,  stands  lonely  and  apart,  outside  the  pres- 
ent town.  If  those  crumbling  stones  could  tell  what  the  little 
boy  was  like,  as  he  stood  one  day  in  the  shadow  of  the  arch, 
shouting  to  hear  the  echo — the  little  barefooted  boy  who  grew  to 
be  the  great  man  of  whom  so  much  has  been  written — how  gladly 
we  would  listen ! 

Lives  change,  but  we  never  lose  the  impressions  of  our  early 
years,  for  then  our  characters  are  formed  and  fixed.  Within  city 
walls,  or  in  the  open  fields,  the  seeds  sown  in  the  child's  heart 
bear  flower  and  fruit.  The  examples  of  father  and  mother,  the 
school  lessons,  the  college  studies,  the  noise  and  stir  of  the  stony 
streets,  the  peace  and  beauty  of  the  flower-strewn  fields — these 
are  the  fingers  that  shape  the  pattern  of  the  cup. 

Paul  was  a  city  child,  city  boy,  city  youth;  a  student,  and  a 
learned  teacher  of  theology  and  religion.     Moulded  in  that  shape, 
he  became  a  Christian.     Into  that  cup  was  poured,  at  thirty,  the 
water  of  life,  the  spirit  of  Jesus. 
a.040) 


2  ROUGH    AND    SMOOTH    CILICIA. 

The  coast  of  Cilicia  lies  at  the  very  end  of  the  Mediterranean 
Sea,  not  far  from  the  island  of  Cyprus,  and  only  about  two  hun- 
dred miles  north  of  Palestine.  Tarsus  is  not  such  an  ancient  city 
as  Jerusalem,  but  it  is  older  than  E/Ome  or  Athens,  and  because 
of  its  schools  and  colleges,  it  was  considered  more  learned  than 
either  of  these,  and  next  to  the  famous  city  of  Alexandria  in 
Egypt.  Before  Paul's  day,  tutors  were  selected  from  among  its 
teachers  for  the  sons  of  Roman  emperors.  Strabo,  the  famous 
Latin  author,  was  studying  in  Tarsus  College  when  Paul  lived 
there,  and  he  has  described  the  city  in  one  of  his  books.  Apollo- 
nius,  the  philosopher,  was  also  a  Tarsus  student.  Aratus,  a  poet 
of  Tarsus,  was  so  much  thought  of  that  Cicero  turned  his  book 
into  Latin,  and  so  it  has  come  down  to  us ;  and  Paul  knew  his 
book,  and  quoted  from  it. 

Before  Paul  was  born,  the  city  had  been  conquered  and  re- 
conquered many  times,  for  it  lay  upon  the  only  road  by  which 
invading  armies  could  come  through  the  mountains  to  the  rich 
lower  countries.  It  had  been  fought  over  by  the  Greeks  and 
Romans,  and  now  belonged  to  Rome ;  but  the  people  still  spoke 
Greek.  More  than  three  hundred  years  before  Paul's  time, 
Alexander  the  Great  visited  it,  and  almost  met  his  death  through 
bathing  in  the  icy  river ;  and  about  fifty  years  before  Paul  was 
born,  Mark  Antony,  the  famous  Roman  general,  lived  there,  and 
liked  it  so  well  that  he  made  it  a  free  city,  and  the  people  were 
so  proud  that  they  stamped  something  about  it  on  their  pennies, 
which  Paul  often  read.  The  Emperor  Augustus  also  favoured 
them,  and  allowed  them  to  have  a  court  of  magistrates  and  a 
city  council;  and  Nestor,  who  had  been  tutor  to  his  son,  was 
chief  magistrate  when  Paul  was  a  boy. 

His  father  was  a  Jew,  and  for  some  service  to  the  Romans  he 
was  made  a  Roman  citizen ;  which  was  a  great  honour  to  receive 
from  the  conquerors  of  his  country.  It  is  likely  that  he  was  a 
weaver  and  maker  of  tents,  for  that  was  what  he  taught  his  son 
to  be.  Cilicium  was  the  name  of  strong  haircloth  used  for  tent- 
covers,  because  it  was  made  from  the  long  hair  of  the  Cilician 
goats  that  fed  among  the  hills. 

The  Romans  divided  Cilicia  into  rough  and  smooth  Cilicia, 
because  of  its  rugged  mountains  and  level  plains.  Tarsus  was  in 
smooth  Cilicia,  and  the  plain,  extending  for  forty  miles  round 
the  curve  of  a  beautiful  bay  of  the  sea,  spread  inland  for  nearly 
twenty-four  miles  to  the  mountains.  And  what  mountains  ! — the 
highest,  darkest,  and  wildest  in  all  Asia  Minor.  During  the  most 
of  the  year,  and  even  when  the  sun  is  hot,  their  peaks  are  covered 
with  snow,  that  can  be  seen  from  Tarsus  sparkling  against  the 


TARSUS,    A    FAMOUS    CITY.  8 

blue  sky;  but  the  lower  slopes  are  clad  witb  dark-green  pines 
and  belts  of  fir,  with  oak,  ash,  spreading  plane,  sycamore,  and 
walnut  growing  thick  upon  the  ridges  that  thrust  themselves 
out  into  the  great  plain. 

From  a  deep  cleft  in  the  mountains  the  river  Cydnus  gushes 
forth,  dashing  from  ledge  to  ledge  down  to  the  lower  country. 
When  Paul  lived  there,  it  passed  through  fields  of  rich  red  earth 
for  over  twenty  miles,  receiving  many  little  streams  on  its  way 
to  the  sea.  Small  villages,  white  farms,  and  dark  mud  huts  were 
scattered  over  the  plain  of  pasture-lands  and  fields  of  grain,  hedged 
vineyards,  and  fruit-gardens,  some  protected  with  walls  of  mud 
and  stone,  others  by  dense  prickly  hedges.  Tapering  poplar  trees, 
dark  cypress,  mulberry,  pomegranate,  apple,  cherry,  silver  olive 
grew  by  the  river-side,  or  cast  their  shadows  round  the  house 
doors  ;  while  tall  shrubs  marked  the  banks  of  the  little  water- 
courses with  branches  woven  together  by  the  star-like  flowers 
of  the  clematis,  sweet  honeysuckle,  and  wild  vine. 

And  thus,  although  the  son  of  a  Jew,  Paul  lived  far  away 
from  his  own  country,  among  Greek  manners  and  customs,  under 
Poman  laws,  in  what  would  now  be  called  an  ancient  university 
city,  in  a  fruitful  plain  between  the  mountains  and  the  sea. 


Tarsus,   a  Famous  City, 

WHEN  Paul  lived  there,  the  river  Cydnus  was  so  large  that 
ocean  ships  could  come  twelve  miles  up,  and  put  out  their 
cargoes  on  the  city  wharfs.  It  was  built  on  both  sides  of  the 
river,  and  the  older  part  was  fortified  with  high  walls  and  towers 
for  soldiers.  Splendid  palaces  were  there,  with  fine  gardens  for 
the  rich,  and  in  the  narrow  paved  streets  hundreds  of  houses  of 
brick  and  wood  for  the  poor,  and  a  wide  market-place  for  the 
country  people,  with  public  baths,  racecourse,  gymnasium,  and  an 
open-air  theatre.  But  greatest  of  all  were  the  universities.  Stoics, 
Platonists,  Peripatetics,  Epicureans  taught  there ;  and  their  teach- 
ing, called  Encyclopaedic,  covered  mathematics,  rhetoric,  ethics, 
dialectics,  music,  and  grammar — everything,  from  racing  and 
boxing  to  poetry  and  speech-making.  Poets,  historians,  doctors, 
philosophers,  lawyers,  orators,  soldiers  had  been  born  there,  and 
gone  out  to  carry  the  fame  of  Tarsus  to  other  lands,  long  before 
Paul  walked  its  streets.  But  no  one  had  done  more  for  their  city 
than  Athenodorus,  who  taught  Csesar  Augustus,  and  who,  as  a 
favour  to  his  old  schoolmaster,  got  Caesar  to  make  the  city  equal 


4  TARSUS,   A   FAMOUS   CITY. 

with  the  best  in  the  Roman  Empire.  So  that  when  Paul,  in 
later  life,  said  he  was  a  citizen  of  no  mean  city,  he  spoke  moder- 
ately; for  he  might  have  said  that  he  belonged  to  one  of  the 
most  famous  cities  in  the  Roman  Empire,  although  now  it  is  a 
sleepy  little  Turkish  town. 

We  do  not  know  the  year  when  he  was  born,  but  we  know  that 
Caesar  Augustus  was  Emperor  of  Rome,  and  Herod  the  Great  King 
of  Judea,  and  that  he  was  younger  than  Jesus.  When  he  was  a 
babe  at  Tarsus,  Jesus  was  a  little  boy  living  in  a  quiet  glen  of 
Galilee.  They  grew  up  at  the  same  time,  although  far  apart ;  but 
the  influence  of  the  one  upon  the  other  is  so  deep,  that  the  life  of 
Paul  cannot  be  written  without  looking  constantly  towards  Jesus. 

You  must  not  think  that  he  lived  away  back  in  the  dim  ages 
of  the  world's  history,  for  we  are  familiar  with  nations  that  rose 
and  fell  centuries  before  he  was  born.  And  yet  his  figure  has 
almost  disappeared  in  the  cloud  of  what  he  wrote  and  said.  But 
our  school  books  are  full  of  the  lives  and  writings  of  men  who  lived 
so  long  before  him  that  their  books  might  easily  have  served  as  his 
lesson  books  also. 

The  Egyptians,  with  their  Pharaohs,  reaching  back  for  thou- 
sands of  years;  the  Carthaginians,  with  Hannibal,  their  great 
general ;  the  Assyrians,  with  Nineveh ;  the  Persians ;  the  Mace- 
donians, with  Alexander  the  Great;  and,  last  of  all,  the  Greeks, 
had  had  their  centuries  of  greatness  and  decay  before  Rome  be- 
came the  ruler  of  the  world.  And  the  Romans  are  so  near  to  us 
that  many  of  our  present  laws  and  customs  come  from  them. 

Many  famous  men  whose  books  we  read  lived  before  Paul. 
Homer,  the  great  Greek  poet ;  Socrates,  Plato,  and  Aristotle,  the 
greatest  of  philosophers,  were  long  since  dead,  ^schylus  and 
Sophocles,  the  tragic  poets  of  Greece,  whose  plays  we  read ; 
Demosthenes  and  Cicero,  whose  speeches  we  imitate ;  Euclid  and 
Archimedes,  whose  books  on  mathematics  are  in  our  schools ;  and 
Phidias,  whose  wonderful  statues  are  still  seen,  had  lived  and  died 
long  before  he  was  born.  Even  Horace,  the  witty  writer  of  city 
verses,  and  Vergil,  the  story-teller,  whose  poems  are  in  our  lesson 
books  because  of  their  beautiful  Latin,  had  died  only  a  few  years 
before,  and  Ovid  was  still  alive.  These  names,  familiar  to  every 
English  schoolboy,  of  men  whose  work  we  see  and  whose  books 
we  can  buy,  bring  the  days  of  Paul  so  near  that  his  figure  begins 
to  take  shape  among  them.  Eighteen  hundred  years  are  but  a 
little  space  in  the  world's  history.  Five  hundred  years  ago 
Chaucer  was  writing  his  poems,  and  Wickliffe  translating  the 
Latin  Bible  into  English ;  one  thousand  years  ago  Alfred  the 
Great  was  King  of  England,  and  rebuilding  the  walls  of  London ; 


ms   NAME.  5 

fifteen  hundred  years  ago  the  Romans  left  our  country,  leaving  a 
wall  built  from  the  Tyne  to  the  Solway,  that  can  now  be  seen ; 
eighteen  hundred  years  ago  Paul  and  Jesus  lived. 

Paul's  father  belonged  to  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  and  was  proud 
of  it ;  for  Saul,  the  first  king  of  the  Jews,  was  of  that  tribe.  And 
although  Paul's  parents  lived  in  Tarsus,  they  looked  on  Palestine 
as  their  home,  and  on  Jerusalem  as  the  most  beautiful  city  in  the 
world  ;  for  the  golden  temple  was  there,  where  God  was  worshipped 
by  Jews  from  all  parts  of  the  world.  And  every  year  they 
sent  their  shekels  to  Jerusalem,  to  repair  the  temple  and  keep  it 
going ;  and  all  the  Jews  who  could,  went  thither  every  year  to 
the  joyful  festivals. 

King  Herod  the  Great,  although  a  monster  of  cruelty,  had 
done  much  for  the  Jews.  Three  temples  had  been  built  at 
Jerusalem  and  laid  in  ruins  ;  and  as  he  was  a  favourite  with 
the  Roman  emperor,  he  got  leave  to  build  the  fourth  and  finest 
of  them  all — the  one  in  which  Jesus  spoke  and  Paul  worshipped, 
and  which  was  the  last,  for  it  was  burnt  by  Titus  not  many  years 
after  Paul's  death. 

And  thus  knowing  so  much  about  the  place  in  which  Paul  was 
born  and  the  men  who  lived  there,  it  brings  him  near  to  us,  and 
helps  us  better  to  understand  how  he  lived  and  what  he  said. 


His  Name. 

TARSUS:   AGED    1-5. 

EIGHT  days  after  the  little  child  was  born,  his  father  and 
mother  gave  him  two  names,  very  solemnly,  and  with  many 
promises,  as  parents  do  now  ;  and  the  naming  was  followed  by  a 
supper  of  rejoicing  friends.  His  first  name  of  Saul  was  dear  to 
the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  as  the  name  of  their  king ;  and  the  second 
name,  Paul,  was  a  Roman  name,  the  one  best  known  to  us,  and 
by  whioh  we  shall  call  him,  although  I  am  sure  that  the  dear 
Hebrew  name  was  the  one  which  his  mother  used. 

He  was  not  baptized,  as  English  children  are,  but  was  carried 
tenderly  to  the  synagogue,  where  he  received  the  mark  of  a  Jew, 
called  by  the  long  word  ''  circumcision,"  which  means  that  a  small 
mark  was  made  upon  him  with  a  sharp  knife. 

His  parents  were  very  religious,  and  looked  upon  this  marking 
of  their  little  babe  as  of  more  importance  than  English  parents 
look   upon   baptism  j    for   Moses   had   commanded   it,   and    they 


6  HIS   NAME. 

thought  no  child  could  enter  heaven  without  it,  and  this  belief 
gave  Paul  a  great  deal  of  trouble  when  he  grew  up.  But  his 
father  was  one  of  the  strictest  of  Pharisees,  and  believed  in  all 
the  commands  of  Moses  being  kept  exactly  as  the  priests  and 
religious  teachers  ordered,  and  that  was  not  easy. 

And  so  we  must  expect  to  find  the  strictness  of  the  father 
appearing  in  the  son  when  he  too  became  a  man.  From  the 
day  of  his  birth  he  was  set  apart  for  the  service  of  God — which 
means  that  his  mother  resolved  to  bring  him  up  as  a  very  good 
Jew.  Such  sweet  resolutions  are  not  limited  to  Jewish  mothers ; 
for  do  not  the  mothers  of  England  also  resolve  in  their  hearts 
to  dedicate  their  children  to  the  service  of  God,  and  lead  their 
little  feet  in  the  paths  which  Jesus  trod  ? 

In  Tarsus,  as  in  every  large  Greek  town  where  there  was  buying 
and  selling,  there  was  a  Jewish  quarter,  of  narrow  streets,  in  the 
poorest  part  of  the  city.  There  the  little  child  was  carried  about 
riding  on  his  mother's  hip  and  shoulder,  as  little  ones  are  carried 
still,  to  market,  field,  and  spring  ;  and  there  his  little  feet  went 
pattering  over  the  hot  stones  in  the  sunshine,  as  he  held  by  her 
skirt.  As  soon  as  he  could  walk  so  far,  he  trotted  by  her  side  to 
the  synagogue,  with  bare  feet  in  the  dust ;  and  there  she  washed 
them  tenderly,  before  going  in  to  sit  together  behind  a  screen 
of  stone  lattice  work,  where  they  could  see  without  being  seen. 
There  his  mother  sat  covered  with  a  white  veil,  her  dark  eyes 
looking  to  see  his  father,  as  he  sat  with  grave  face  among  the  men 
out  upon  the  stone  floor;  and  there  the  child  heard  the  teacher 
read,  and  pray,  and  speak,  although  he  did  not  understand  what 
was  being  said,  for  he  was  only  a  little  child.  But  his  mother 
thought  his  feet  should  be  early  taught  the  way  to  the  syna- 
gogue, where  she  believed  he  would  sit  when  he  grew  up  to  be 
a  man,  as  the  greatest  teacher  of  them  all.  For  there  are  no 
bounds  to  the  golden  dreams  a  mother  weaves  round  the  head 
of  her  boy,  whose  hand  she  feels  in  hers,  and  whose  little  feet 
follow  her  along  the  path  of  a  holy  life. 

During  these  years  his  mother  was  his  only  teacher — these 
rosy  years,  when  little  hands  meet  answering  love,  and  trusting 
eyes  look  into  eyes  as  pure,  and  the  child's  heart  takes  the  pat- 
tern of  the  mother  who  bore  him.  She  knew  it  was  the  duty  of 
every  Jewish  mother  to  make  her  child  know  and  love  the  Bible, 
by  telling  him  the  story  of  her  people,  of  what  God  had  done  for 
them,  and  of  the  great  men  of  her  nation.  But  most  of  all  she 
told  him  about  the  commandments  of  Moses  and  his  religious  laws. 
Often,  with  grave  face  and  bowed  head,  she  had  listened  behind 
the  women's  screen  in  the  synagogue  to  the  solemn  voice  of  the 


HIS   MOTHERS    STORIES.  7 

reader,  as  lie  chanted  the  familiar  words  of  the  Law,  which  every 
Jew  knew  by  heart : — 

Hear,  O  Israel :  Our  God  is  one  God  : 

Thou  shalt  love  Him  with  all  thy  heart,  and  soul,  and  might. 

The  words  which  I  command  thee  shall  be  upon  thy  heart : 

Thou  shalt  teach  them  diligently  to  thy  children. 

And  shalt  talk  of  them  when  thou  sittest  in  thy  house, 

When  thou  walkest  by  the  way, 

When  thou  liest  down,  and  when  thou  risest  up. 

Thou  shalt  bind  them  for  a  sign  upon  thy  hand ; 

They  shall  be  as  frontlets  upon  thy  brow. 

And  thou  shalt  write  them 

Upon  the  door-posts  of  thy  house,  and  upon  thy  gate. 

These  words  sank  into  her  mother's  heart,  and  were  a  special 
command  to  her.  Often,  too,  she  had  heard  the  reader  chanting 
in  a  loud  voice  to  all  the  people  : — 

When  thy  son  asks  thee  in  time  to  come, 

What  mean  the  commandments  which  God  has  commanded? 

Thou  shalt  say  to  thy  son, 

We  were  slaves  in  Egypt,  and  God  brought  us  out. 

And  as  the  dark-eyed  mother  wended  homewards  with  her 
child  from  the  synagogue,  by  the  back  streets,  as  women  must  do, 
she  spoke  of  what  the  reader  had  read,  telling  him  that  he  was 
to  love  God  with  all  his  child's  heart.  Had  not  the  reader  said 
that  she  was  to  talk  with  her  son  as  she  walked  with  him  by 
the  way  1 


His  Mother's  Stories. 

TARSUS:    AGED    1-5. 

IN  the  midst  of  that  city  of  strangers  who  taught  vain  philosophy, 
and  worshipped  idols  of  stone  and  wood,  not  alone  of  God 
and  the  ten  commandments  did  this  dark-eyed  woman  speak  to 
her  red-cheeked  child.  He  would  one  day  be  a  man,  and  she 
fired  his  mind  with  stories  of  the  oppression  and  the  deliverance 
of  her  people,  and  of  heroes  like  King  Saul,  whose  names  were 
heard  every  day  among  them.  And,  like  all  little  children,  he 
liked  best  to  hear  tales  of  daring  and  adventure,  of  fighting,  and 
generosity,  and  wonder. 

In  warm  summer  evenings,  after  the  glow  of  the  sunset  had 
steeped  the  hills  with  purple,  slowly  mantling  them  out  of  sight, 


8  HIS  mother's  stories. 

as  the  silver  stars  came  trembling  over  the  violet  sky,  sitting  by 
her  side  on  the  flat  house-top,  the  child  listened  to  his  mother's 
voice  telling  tlie  story  of  David  the  shepherd  boy,  who  slew  a 
bear  and  a  lion  that  had  come  to  kill  his  father's  sheep,  and  who 
became  king  after  King  Saul.  He  heard,  too,  of  King  Solomon, 
the  wisest  of  Jewish  kings,  who,  when  he  was  throned  before  the 
people,  caused  a  seat  to  be  placed  for  his  mother  on  his  right  hand. 
But  it  was  not  of  kings  only  that  she  told  stories.  He  heard  of 
the  ancient  prophet  Elijah,  who  hid  himself  in  a  cave  because  of 
the  wickedness  of  the  people,  and  who  was  fed  by  the  wild  ravens. 
She  told  him  of  the  beautiful  Queen  Esther,  the  daughter  of  a 
poor  Jew,  who  became  Queen  of  Persia,  and  saved  the  lives  of 
all  the  Jews  in  that  kingdom.  And  she  dwelt  tenderly  upon  the 
story  of  little  Samuel,  who,  like  Paul  himself,  was  dedicated  to 
God  by  his  mother,  and  was  taken  by  her  to  live  with  the  priests 
in  the  tent  of  God  while  still  a  little  boy,  and  who  afterwards  was 
the  great  prophet  who  appointed  Saul  to  be  king. 

On  winter  nights,  as  they  sat  in  the  house  with  the  door 
closed,  and  wooden  shutters  on  the  small  windows  to  keep  out 
the  cold  winds,  his  mother  span  blue  wool,  by  the  light  of  a  small 
oil  lamp,  that  was  to  make  the  cloth  for  a  garment  for  him,  and 
told  him  other  tales.  Sewing  his  little  coat,  and  embroidering 
it  round  the  neck  with  threads  of  blue  and  red,  she  thought  of 
Joseph's  coat  of  many  colours,  and  told  him  the  story  of  the 
shepherd  boy  who  was  sold  by  his  brothers  for  a  slave,  and  who 
rose  to  be  the  chief  officer  of  the  great  King  Pharaoh.  And 
perhaps  little  Paul  fell  asleep,  as  children  do  when  Bible  stories 
are  being  told,  as  he  listened  to  the  longest  story  of  all — about 
Moses,  the  beautiful  Hebrew  babe,  who  was  found  by  the  Egyp- 
tian princess  floating  in  a  basket  among  the  reeds  by  the  side  of 
the  river  Nile :  how  she  brought  him  up  as  her  own  child ;  how 
he  afterwards  stood  before  the  great  King  Pharaoh  demanding 
that  he  should  let  the  Jews  go  free  who  were  slaves  in  Egypt ; 
and  how  one  night  the  angel  of  death  passed  through  the  land. 
And  he  would  hear  with  wonder  and  awe  that  this  night  was  ever 
after  called  the  Passover,  because  the  angel  of  death  had  passed 
over  the  Jews'  houses ;  that  King  Pharaoh  next  day  ordered 
them  to  leave  his  country;  that  Moses  led  them  out,  and  at 
Sinai  went  up  the  mountain  of  clouds  and  fire,  and  came  down 
with  the  ten  commandments  cut  upon  two  flat  stones,  which  have 
ever  since  been  called  the  commandments  of  God.  And  his 
mother  told  the  wondering  child  that  he  would  have  to  learn 
these  commandments  off"  by  heart  when  he  was  older. 

He  heard,  too,  of  the  golden  temple  at  Jerusalem,  which  his 


HIS    FATHER*S    TEACHING.  9 

mother  had  seen ;  of  the  hundreds  of  children  who  went  thither, 
and  to  which  lie  would  one  day  go.  And  he  heard  her  tell  with 
sighs,  and  perhaps  with  tears,  of  the  hated  Romans,  who  had 
conquered  their  beloved  country;  and  her  eyes  would  glow  and 
her  voice  tremble  as  she  told  him  of  the  Maccabean  heroes,  who 
had  roused  the  people  to  fight  the  Roman  soldiers  and  free  their 
country — alas  !  only  to  be  conquered  again  by  soldiers  in  greater 
numbers.  And  she  would  tell  him,  in  a  hushed  voice,  that  one 
day  the  Romans  would  be  driven  out  by  the  Messiah,  the  Saviour 
of  their  country,  who  would  consume  them  with  fire  and  flames 
proceeding  out  of  His  mouth,  but  that  the  great  day  of  deliver- 
ance would  not  come  until  they  were  a  holy  people. 

There  are  no  tales  so  true  as  the  tales  a  child  hears  from  his 
mother's  lips ;  there  are  no  heroes  so  great  as  the  heroes  she  has 
praised ;  there  are  no  thoughts  so  pure,  no  ambitions  so  high,  no 
passions  so  deep  as  those  which  she  plants  in  her  child's  mind, 
at  that  sweet  age  when  her  face  is  to  him  as  the  face  of  an  angel, 
and  her  voice  as  the  voice  of  God.  And  thus  the  child  Paul 
learned  the  history  of  his  people,  with  mingled  feelings  of  awe 
and  admiration;  for  history  and  religion  were  woven  into  every 
tale  which  she  told. 


His   Father's  Teaching. 

TARSUS:    AGED    1-5. 

FASTENED  to  the  side  of  his  father's  house  door  was  a  bright 
metal  box  a  few  inches  long,  and  every  one  who  went  out  or 
in  raised  their  hand  to  touch  it,  and  kissed  their  finger,  as  they 
said  a  few  words  to  themselves;  for  in  it  were  some  verses  of  the 
Bible  written  upon  parchment,  and  beginning  with  the  familiar 
words,  "  Hear,  O  Israel  :  God  is  one  God." 

Before  the  little  child  Paul  could  speak,  as  he  was  carried  past 
this  bright  box  he  held  out  his  chubby  arms  towards  the  shining 
thing,  being  held  high  enough  to  touch  it  and  kiss  his  little  hand, 
as  others  did. 

As  soon  as  he  could  speak,  his  mother  taught  him  to  kneel 
with  his  face  turned  towards  far-away  Jerusalem,  and,  placing 
his  upraised  hands  together,  say  the  little  morning  and  evening 
prayers  which  she  had  learned  from  her  own  mother  when  a 
child  like  him.  And  when  he  asked  why  he  must  turn  his  face 
in  that  direction,  she  would  tell  him  that  the  golden  temple  was 
there,  and  that  in  the  dark   chamber,   behind   the   great  purple 


10  HIS  father's  teaching. 

curtain,  God  dwelt.  And  she  would  tell  him  of  the  prophet 
Daniel,  who  when  in  Babylon  prayed  every  night  and  morning 
with  his  window  opened  towards  Jerusalem,  and  because  he  would 
not  stop  doing  so,  was  cast  into  the  den  of  lions,  but  that  the 
lions  did  him  no  hurt. 

Until  the  little  boy  was  four,  his  mother  was  his  teacher, 
telling  him  Bible  stories,  and  showing  him  how  to  be  good  by 
living  a  sweet  and  gentle  life  herself.  But  you  must  not  think 
that  his  father  took  no  share  in  the  training  of  these  early  years. 
He  was  as  anxious  as  his  wife  that  he  should  grow  up  a  good 
child,  and  he  also  told  him  stories  from  the  Bible ;  but  still  the 
burden  was  laid  upon  the  mother. 

The  old  rabbis  said  that  at  five  a  child's  home  lessons  should 
start,  and  that  the  father  vras  then  to  be  his  chief  teacher.  And 
at  that  early  age  little  Paul  began  the  long  and  weary  task  of 
learning  off  by  heart  the  hundreds  and  thousands  of  the  religious 
songs  and  sayings  of  the  Jews,  beginning  with  the  commandments 
of  Moses,  and  going  on  through  the  books  of  the  Old  Testament, 
and  through  the  far  larger  mass  of  traditions  of  what  the  rabbis 
had  said  about  the  Bible  since  the  days  of  Moses.  He  began 
this  life-task  at  five,  and  it  did  not  end  until  he  was  a  man  of 
thirty ;  and  then  he  suddenly  threw  the  whole  mass  on  one  side, 
as  a  useless,  endless  toil.  The  little  child  did  not  begin  with 
picture  lesson  books  as  children  do  now,  or  even  with  letters 
and  words.  Bible  stories  were  his  first  nursery  tales,  and  Bible 
history  and  Bible  prophecies  were  the  delight  of  his  growing  years. 
For  the  Jews  found  all  their  teaching  in  the  Bible,  and  were  dis- 
couraged by  their  teachers  from  looking  into  or  learning  out  of 
any  other  book. 

And  the  child's  first  lesson  was  a  verse  from  Deuteronomy, 
which  his  mother  or  father  said  to  him  in  Greek,  and  he  repeated 
over  and  over  again  until  he  had  learned  it ;  then  he  had  another 
verse  told  him,  to  learn  in  the  same  slow  way.  And  like  other 
little  children,  he  would  find  them  very  hard  and  wearisome  to 
learn,  for  he  would  have  no  idea  what  the  solemn  words  meant. 
Here  are  some  of  the  verses  which  his  dear  mother  taught  him 
to  say,  bit  by  bit,  day  by  day,  morning  and  evening,  along  with 
her,  until  he  could  repeat  them  without  a  mistake  : — 

What  does  God  require  of  me 

But  to  worship  Him,  and  walk  in  all  His  ways. 

To  love  and  serve  Him  with  all  my  heart  and  soul, 

And  to  keep  the  commandments  of  Moses, 

Which  God  commands  me 

This  day  to  keep  for  my  good  1 


PREPARING    FOR    SCHOOL.  11 

And  his  father  would  tell  him  that  when  Moses  gave  his 
commandments  to  their  peoj)le,  for  the  first  time,  as  the  laws 
of  God,  he  said  words  like  this,  which  Paul  had  also  to  learn  and 
remember : — 

It  shall  be,  if  you  listen  attentively  this  day 

To  the  things  which  I  command  you, 

To  love  the  Lord  your  God, 

And  serve  Him  with  heart  and  soul, 

I  will  give  you  rain  on  your  lands,  the  early  and  latter  rain, 

That  you  may  gather  your  corn,  your  wine,  and  your  oil. 

And  I  will  give  you  grass  in  your  fields  for  your  cattle. 

And  you  shall  eat  and  be  full. 

And  he  would  also  be  told  that  while  these  were  the  promises 
which  Moses  made  to  them  if  they  worshipped  God,  he  held  out 
punishments  also  if  they  did  not  do  what  he  told  them.  And  he 
would  teach  the  little  child  words  like  this  also,  to  repeat  and 
learn  off"  from  the  Bible  : — 

Take  care,  lest  you  be  deceived  and  worship  idols  ; 
And  God's  anger  be  roused,  and  He  shut  up  the  clouds, 
That  there  be  no  rain.     Then  the  fields  will  bear  no  fruity 
And  you  shall  perish  off"  the  land  which  God  gave  you. 
Therefore  lay  up  these  words  in  thy  heart 
And  in  thy  soul. 

For  Moses  had  told  the  people,  and  Paul's  parents  deeply 
believed,  that  if  a  Jew  was  good  and  worshipped  God,  He 
would  bless  his  fields  and  home  ;  and  if  he  did  not  love  and  wor- 
ship God,  He  would  surely  punish  him  in  field  and  house :  and 
they  taught  their  little  child  to  believe  also. 


Preparing  for  School. 

TARSUS:    AGE   1-5. 

IN  the  golden  mornings  and  the  crimson  evenings,  as  his  mother 
taught  the  little  boy  the  verses  which  he  was  to  repeat  to  his 
father,  she  would  tell  him  that  Moses,  standing  in  the  camp  of 
black  tents,  under  the  shadow  of  the  mountain  of  clouds  and  fire, 
told  the  people  that  they  could  choose  between  happiness  and 
sorrow,  in  words  like  these,  which  he  would  also  have  to  learn  : — 

I  set  before  you  this  day  a  blessing  and  a  curse  : 
A  blessing,  if  you  obey  the  commandiuenLs  of  God, 


12  PREPARING    FOR    SCHOOL. 

Which  I  command  you  this  day ; 
A  curse,  if  you  will  not  obey  them, 
But  turn  aside  from  the  true  way, 
To  go  after  idols. 

And  when  he  came  to  learn  verses  of  the  Psalms,  which 
English  boys  learn  now,  his  mother  would  tell  him  that  they 
were  written  to  be  sung  by  bands  of  white-robed  Levites  and 
singing  boys  to  the  sound  of  silver  trumpets,  as  they  stood  on 
the  white  steps  of  the  golden  temple,  while  the  people  listened  in 
the  wide,  open  square  below.  And  this  is  one  about  the  Jews 
leaving  Egypt,  and  the  cruel  King  Pharaoh  : — 

When  Israel  went  forth  out  of  Egypt, 

From  a  people  of  strange  words, 

Judah  became  his  refuge,  and  Israel  his  dominion. 

The  Red  Sea  saw  it,  and  fled  ;  the  Jordan  was  driven  back. 

The  mountains  skipped  like  rams, 

The  little  hills  like  lambs. 

The  little  boy  would  much  rather  have  heard  these  stories 
from  his  mother's  lips,  in  her  own  words,  as  she  used  to  tell  them ; 
but  that  would  not  do.  If  he  wished  to  be  good  and  clever,  he 
had  to  learn  them  as  she  repeated  them ;  and  we  may  be  sure  the 
little  fellow  did  his  very  best,  whether  he  understood  them  or  no. 
And  when  on  Sundays  his  father  took  him  on  his  knee,  and 
listened  with  grave  face  as  he  lisped  over  all  the  verses  that  he  had 
learned  during  the  week,  the  little  child's  grey  eyes  would  sparkle, 
and  his  red  cheeks  flush  with  joy,  when  he  saw  his  mother's 
pleased  face  smiling  encouragement  to  him  as  she  heard  how 
well  he  remembered  his  lessons.  For  there  are  two  things  which 
make  us  all  learn  well — love  for  the  teacher,  and  love  for  what 
we  are  taught;  and  of  these  two,  love  for  the  teacher  is  the 
stronger  with  boys  so  small  as  he.  And  his  father  looked  grave 
and  solemn,  for  he  considered  it  a  sacred  duty  to  see  that  his  little 
son  learned  the  verses  of  childhood  exactly  as  he  had  learned  them 
from  his  father  long  years  ago.  No  doubt  he  had  a  hundred 
questions  to  ask,  as  little  children  have  still ;  but  his  father  did 
not  give  him  the  long  answers  which  English  parents  give.  He 
was  told  that  it  was  so  written  in  the  Bible,  and  that  was  enough 
for  him. 

And  so  from  earliest  childhood  he  was  taught  to  accept  every- 
thing which  the  Bible  said,  and  later  on  he  would  be  told  to 
accept  everything  which  the  rabbis  said  also. 


A  childeen's  school.  13 

A  Children's  School. 

TARSUS:    AGED    5-10. 

SIX  IS  an  early  age  for  a  little  boy  to  go  to  school,  and  change 
the  smiling  instruction  of  his  mother  for  the  cold  and  solemn 
looks  of  a  bearded  stranger ;  but  that  is  the  age  at  which  the 
little  child  Paul  would  go,  for  so  said  the  rabbis.  And  what 
a  school !  Not  a  dry,  comfortable  place  with  forms  to  sit  upon, 
and  pictures  on  the  walls,  but  a  small,  dingy  room  at  the  syna- 
gogue, without  seats  or  desks  or  pictures.  He  was  not  troubled 
with  books  to  carry,  for  there  were  no  books  in  his  school,  not 
even  for  the  teacher.  It  was  all  memory,  memory,  memory  ;  rote, 
rote,  rote !  And  the  little  boys  in  the  children's  schools  of  the 
East  learn  in  the  same  way  still — sitting  on  the  floor,  repeating 
the  words  after  the  schoolmaster. 

They  had  not  the  Bible  as  we  know  it,  for  the  New  Testament 
was  not  then  written,  and  the  Old  Testament,  which  was  the 
record  of  their  religion  and  the  history  of  their  nation  in  one, 
consisted  of  a  large  number  of  things  called  books,  but  which 
were  really  rolls  of  papyrus  paper,  all  written  over  with  a  pen  and 
black  ink.  Copies  of  them  have  come  down  to  us,  and  have  been 
made  into  our  Bible ;  but  some  books  which  they  had  have  been  lost, 
while  others  have  been  kept  out  of  our  Bible.  Those  from  which 
Paul's  first  school  lessons  would  be  taken  were  Genesis,  Exodus, 
Leviticus,  Numbers,  and  Deuteronomy,  called  the  Pentateuch,  or 
five  books.  They  were  written  on  broad  rolls,  not  unlike  our 
yellow  wall-papers,  and  were  kept  rolled  upon  two  sticks,  and 
were  unrolled  only  a  little  bit  at  a  time,  at  the  part  which  was 
to  be  read.  But  if  the  teacher  were  a  clever  man,  he  knew  every 
word  of  these  five  books,  and  could  repeat  any  verse  that  was 
wanted.  These  five  were  also  called  the  Books  of  the  Law,  for 
they  contained  the  laws  and  rules  of  Moses,  which  Paul  had  to 
learn  during  the  first  years  of  his  school  life. 

And  one  morning  early,  the  little  boy  was  taken  by  his  father 
and  mother  througli  the  narrow  streets  of  the  town  to  the  small, 
dark  synagogue  school,  and  handed  over  to  the  schoolmaster. 
Standing  looking  in  at  the  doorway,  his  mother  would  see  him, 
in  his  bright  little  jacket,  sitting  cross-legged  among  twenty  or 
thirty  other  little  boys,  with  his  sharp  grey  eyes  fixed  earnestly 
on  the  master's  face,  as,  with  kerchief  on  head,  he  sat  cross-legged 
upon  a  raised  platform,  almost  level  with  the  little  fellows'  heads. 
And  as  she  listened  she  would  hear  the  teacher  tell  them  to  repeat 


14  THE    BIBLE    LESSON    BOOK. 

the  words  after  him,  and  in  a  loud,  sing-song  voice  he  would 
recite  a  short  sentence,  and  with  hand  upraised  beckon  to  the 
little  boys  to  repeat  it  with  him.  And  then  would  rise  such  a  din 
of  shrill  voices,  shouting  so  loudly  what  the  master  was  saying, 
that  she  would  be  unable  to  distinguish  the  voice  of  her  own  little 
boy.  But  she  would  see,  from  his  eager  face  and  burning-red 
cheeks,  that  he  was  anxious  to  excel  in  his  first  lesson.  And  then 
she  would  turn  away  and  go  thoughtfully  home,  to  watch  and 
listen  for  the  sound  of  him  returning.  Little  boys  are  apt  to 
think  that  they  are  the  only  ones  who  find  it  hard  when  they  first 
go  to  school,  but  there  are  mothers  who  can  tell  us  that  they  have 
felt  very  lonely  indeed  as  they  sat  at  home  thinking  of  the  little 
one  who  has  passed  out  of  their  hands,  and  wishing  that  she  had 
him  back  again. 

But  the  little  boy's  learning  was  not  confined  to  the  school 
His  mother  had  long  ago  made  him  a  praying  shawl  like  his 
father's,  but  much  smaller,  with  blue  woollen  tassels  at  the  corners, 
to  wear  underneath  his  little  tunic.  And  he  was  told  never  to 
put  it  on  in  the  morning  without  repeating  a  short  prayer  which 
his  mother  taught  him.  He  was  encouraged  to  ask  questions  about 
all  the  religious  acts  which  he  saw  his  father  and  mother  doing, 
and  he  would  ask  why  they  watched  so  carefully  for  the  first 
sight  of  the  new  moon  in  the  blue  sky.  Why  on  a  certain  night 
did  his  mother  light  a  candle  for  each  one  in  the  house,  and  why 
were  the  candles  increased  for  eight  nights,  until  all  their  house 
was  blazing  with  candles  1  Why  was  there  sometimes  no  leaven 
in  the  bread,  and  why  did  his  mother  sweep  the  house  clean, 
and  light  a  taper  for  his  father  to  search  in  every  corner  for 
crumbs  ?  All  these  things,  and  more,  he  asked ;  for  what  little 
boy  does  not  delight  to  ask  questions?  And  he  received  long 
answers  and  explanations,  which  he  could  not  understand,  but 
which  would  become  clearer  as  he  grew  up. 

And  so  his  education  was  not  left  entirely  to  his  school  teacher, 
for  he  had  what  is  better  than  all  masters — the  words  and  the 
example  of  his  father  and  mother  of  what  a  good  Jew  should  be. 


A^ 


The   Bible   Lesson   Book. 

TARSUS:    AGED  5-10. 

T  home  and  at  school,  the  little  red-cheeked  boy  learned  that 
the  greatest  thing  in  the  world  was  to  worship  God  with  all 


THE    BIBLE    LESSON    BOOK.  15 

his  heart  and  soul  and  mind,  and  keep  the  commandments  of 
Moses,  and  so  live  a  good  life ;  and  little  boys  cannot  do  better 
than  get  the  same  thing  into  their  minds  still,  for  nothing 
comes  before  it,  and  it  brings  all  good  things  after.  But  Paul 
learned  much  more  than  that  out  of  the  Old  Testament.  The 
Jews  were  very  proud  of  the  history  of  their  people,  and  believed 
that  they  were  the  favourite  and  only  beloved  people  of  God,  and 
the  little  boy  had  to  learn  off  much  of  their  early  history. 

He  learned  those  chapters  which  told  that  Moses  led  the 
Jews  out  of  slavery  in  Egypt,  and  that  they  w^andered  about  for 
forty  years,  living  in  tents,  amid  the  rocks  and  sands,  the  vales 
and  the  mountains  of  a  barren  land ;  that  he  brought  them  to 
the  mountains  of  Moab,  and  showed  them  how  beautiful  Canaan 
was,  and  told  them  that  it  would  be  theirs — so  beautiful  with 
green  vales  and  sparkling  streams  that  after  the  hot  desert  sands 
they  called  it  "  a  land  flowing  with  milk  and  honey."  And  he 
learned  that  Moses  died  on  Mount  Nebo,  and  that  Joshua,  the 
fighting  leader,  brought  the  people  across  the  Jordan  river  near 
to  Jericho,  to  conquer  the  land,  because  Moses  had  told  them 
that  they  were  to  fight,  slay,  and  destroy  all  the  people  of  the 
country — men,  women,  and  little  children — sparing  no  one.  And 
the  boy  would  learn  that  the  land  had  belonged  to  the  tribes  of 
the  Amalekites,  Hittites,  Jebusites,  Amorites,  and  Canaanites, 
and  that  Moses  said  they  were  to  have  nothing  to  do  with  them 
or  the  idols  which  they  worshipped,  in  words  like  these : — 

When  God  shall  bring  you  into  the  land  whither  you  go, 

And  shall  cast  out  many  nations  before  you. 

You  shall  slay  them,  and  utterly  destroy  them  ; 

You  shall  make  no  bargain  with  them,  nor  show  mercy : 

Neither  shall  you  make  marriages  with  them; 

Your  daughter  shall  not  marry  their  son, 

Nor  their  daughter  marry  your  son. 

For  she  will  turn  him  away  from  following  God. 

You  shall  break  down  their  idols'  altars, 

Dash  in  pieces  their  stone  pillars, 

Hew  down  their  images,  and  burn  them  with  fire. 

For  you  are  an  holy  people  unto  God, 

Who  has  chosen  you  to  be  a  peculiar  people, 

Above  all  that  are  in  the  earth. 

And  if  little  Paul  asked  why  these  people  of  Canaan  were  to  be 
so  utterly  slain  and  destroyed,  and  if  it  was  not  cruel  and  unjust 
to  do  so,  he  would  be  told  that  it  w^as  the  command  of  God.  But 
that  reply  would  not  satisfy  some  little  boys  and  girls  that  I  know, 


16  THE   BIBLE   LESSON    BOOK. 

who  have  heard  of  Jesus,  and  who  cannot  believe  that  to  slay 
women  and  little  children  can  ever  be  right. 

And  so  Paul  was  taught  to  believe  that  the  Jews  were  the 
favourites  of  God,  who  was  their  God  only,  and  that  they  were  to 
keep  to  themselves,  and  have  nothing  to  do  with  strangers;  and 
this  made  him  loving  with  little  Jewish  children,  but  taught  him 
to  despise  all  who  were  not  Jews.  He  also  learned  that  the  idols 
worshipped  by  strangers  were  things  to  be  hated  and  destroyed ; 
for  he  had  to  learn  words  like  these,  from  the  Bible  : — 

These  are  the  laws  which  you  shall  keep  and  do 

All  the  days  that  you  live  upon  the  earth. 

You  shall  destroy  all  the  places 

Wherein  the  nations  worshipped  idols. 

Their  places  upon  high  mountains,  and  hills, 

And  under  every  green  tree  : 

You  shall  break  down  their  altars  and  stone  pillars, 

Burn  their  idols,  and  destroy  their  name. 

Thus  he  learned  that  the  Jews  were  commanded  to  destroy  the 
places  where  idols  were  worshipped  in  the  country  which  they 
conquered.  And  this  is  what  he  learned  the  Jews  were  to  do 
for  the  one  place  where  God  was  to  be  worshipped  : — 

But  unto  the  place  where  God  shall  choose  to  put  His  name 

You  shall  seek  His  house,  and  thither  shall  you  come; 

Bringing  offerings,  and  sacrifices,  and  gifts, 

The  first  of  your  sheep  and  cattle  : 

And  you  and  your  families 

Shall  eat  before  the  Lord,  and  rejoice. 

And  so  the  boy  earnestly  believed  that  God  was  their  God 
only,  and  that  they  were  His  people,  and  that  not  only  should  all 
idols  be  destroyed,  but  that  they  who  worshipped  them,  or  who 
did  not  worship  God,  deserved  to  be  destroyed  also.  But  when 
he  grew  up  to  be  a  man,  and  heard  of  the  beautiful  things  which 
Jesus  said,  he  thought,  as  we  think  now,  that  a  greater  than 
Moses  entered  the  world  when  Jesus  came.  For  He  said  that 
God  was  the  God  not  of  the  Jews  only,  but  of  all  mankind,  and 
that  He  loved  justice  and  mercy,  and  not  bloodshed. 


HATRED    OF    STRANGERS.  17 

Hatred   of  Strangers. 

TARSUS:    AGED  5-10. 

WHEN  little  Paul  went  to  the  synagogue  with  his  mother  on 
Thursdays  and  Sundays,  he  was  dressed  in  his  best  tunic 
of  striped  blue,  and  yellow,  and  green ;  and  while  his  thick  black 
hair  was  uncovered,  he  wore  upon  his  shoulders  a  small,  curiously- 
made  shawl,  with  blue  tassels  at  the  corners.  It  seems  strange 
to  us  that  a  praying  shawl  was  so  important  to  a  Jew  ;  but  he 
would  rather  not  go  to  the  synagogue  at  all  than  go  without. 
It  was  made  of  thin  cloth  of  one  colour,  or  in  broad  stripes ; 
and  it  had  to  be  made  by  a  Jew,  for  they  alone  knew  how  to 
make  it  rightly.  The  most  important  part  was  the  fringe,  which 
had  a  tassel  at  each  corner,  made  of  eight  threads  of  wool  dyed 
a  hyacinth  blue,  for  they  said  that  God's  throne  was  of  that 
colour.  These  tassels  were  thought  to  be  very  sacred,  and  you 
may  remember  that  it  was  one  of  these  fringes  that  the  woman 
touched  who  came  behind  Jesus  wishing  to  be  healed.  And  little 
Paul  had  to  learn  how  to  use  this  praying  shawl,  and  how  to  put  it 
rightly  over  his  head  when  praying  in  the  synagogue.  He  had  to 
learn  also  the  verses  from  the  Bible  in  which  Moses  commanded 
the  people  so  long  ago  about  having  tassels. 

"  Speak  to  the  people,"  he  said,  "and  bid  them  make  tassels  at 
the  corners  of  their  garments  ever  after.  Bid  them  put  upon  the 
corner  of  each  border  a  cord  of  blue,  and  it  shall  be  a  tassel,  so 
that  when  you  see  it  you  may  remember  all  the  laws  of  Moses 
and  do  them ;  that  you  spy  not  about  after  your  own  heart  and 
your  own  eyes,  but  remember  all  the  commandments,  and  be  holy 
unto  your  God." 

And  thus  the  boy  was  taught  that  the  bright  and  pretty  shawl 
was  a  thing  to  be  loved  and  taken  care  of.  And  his  mother 
told  him  to  take  one  of  these  blue  tassels  in  his  hand  and  kiss 
it  when  the  prayers  were  being  said  in  the  synagogue,  as  he 
saw  all  the  other  little  boys  doing.  She  told  him  also  that  he 
must  never  forget  to  say  these  words  when  putting  on  his  little 
inner  shawl  in  the  sunny  mornings,  or  when  putting  on  his  larger 
outside  shawl  when  going  to  the  synagogue  : — 

"Blessed  art  thou,  O  Lord  our  God,  king  of  the  world,  who 
hast  made  us  perfect  with  thy  commandments,  and  hast  given  us 
the  law  of  the  fringes." 

And  when  little  Paul  wore  this  shawl  with  its  bright  blue 
tassels,  he  thought  himself  much  better  than  the  children  who 

(1,040)  2 


18  THE    FIVE    BOOKS    OF    MOSES. 

were  not  Jews,  and  who  had  no  such  shawl  to  wear — a  thing 
which  is  not  very  good  for  a  little  boy  to  think. 

He  got  many  verses  to  learn  at  school  which  praised  Jerusalem 
and  the  great  golden  temple,  as  the  finest  places  in  the  whole 
world ;  and  he  was  taught  that  Jews,  wherever  they  might  be, 
were  to  turn  their  faces  towards  the  temple  when  praying,  and 
to  delight  in  giving  presents  to  the  priests  who  lived  there.  And 
his  teacher  told  him  over  and  over  again  that  there  was  but  one 
God,  who  was  their  God,  and  that  they  were  His  chosen  people, 
and  all  others  were  wicked  and  to  be  avoided ;  for  they  did  not 
believe  in  God,  or  keep  the  laws  of  Moses,  but  worshipped  idols  of 
wood  and  stone,  and  had  no  books  of  the  law  from  which  to  learn 
righteousness.  And  while  the  little  boy  did  not  understand  one- 
half  of  what  he  thus  learned  off  by  heart,  he  soon  got  to  be  very 
proud  of  his  own  people,  and  to  dislike  and  despise  all  foreigners. 
And  if  he  did  play  in  the  sunshine  of  the  gardens  and  streets  and 
market-places  with  otlier  little  boys  and  girls  whose  mothers  were 
Greeks  or  Syrians,  Cilicians  or  Cyprians,  he  always  had  a  feeling 
that  they  were  different  from  him,  and  were  wicked,  as  his  teacher 
said.  And  yet  he  found  those  children  merry  and  kind  and  loving 
as  himself  ;  and  if  his  teacher  had  not  told  him  that  they  were  bad, 
he  would  not  have  known  it,  although  they  did  not  come  to  his 
school  or  to  his  synagogue.  And  the  child  was  right,  for  in  later 
years  he  learned  of  One  of  whom  his  school  teacher  had  not  heard, 
who  said  that  little  ones  everywhere  were  the  children  of  God's 
kingdom  on  the  earth. 

But  he  was  taught  day  after  day  that  the  Jews  were  God's 
own  people,  and  to  think  of  foreigners  as  all  wicked,  just  as  the 
Turks  now  in  out-of-the-way  places  look  upon  all  Christians  as 
wicked  and  hateful,  calling  them  "  Christian  dogs."  But  we  live 
in  happier  times,  and  nations  now  respect  each  other,  although 
they  have  different  ways  of  worshipping  God.  If  they  bow  down 
to  idols,  we  do  not  seek  to  kill  them,  but  try  to  turn  their  faces 
towards  the  one  true  God  and  Father  of  all  men,  as  Paul  after- 
wards did. 


The   Five   Books  of  Moses. 

TARSUS  :    AGED  5-10. 

PAUL'S  school  had  a  pretty  name — the  "Vineyard ; "  for  it  was 
thought  that  little  boys  were  like  young  vines  that  had  to 
be  taught  to  climb,  and  have  leaves  and  bear  fruit.     And  although 


THE    FIVE   BOOKS    OF    MOSES.  19 

he  sat  on  the  floor  with  other  boys,  and  repeated  verses  after  his 
teacher  until  he  could  say  whole  chapters  without  a  mistake,  he 
had  also  to  learn  to  read  and  write  and  do  sums.  His  mother 
and  father  spoke  Hebrew  at  home,  and  the  people  in  the  streets 
spoke  Greek,  and  so  he  had  to  learn  to  read  and  write  both  of 
these  languages. 

He  did  not  learn  his  A,  B,  C  from  wooden  blocks  or  picture 
books,  as  little  boys  do  now,  but  by  tracing  the  letters  upon 
smooth  sand,  and  rubbing  them  out  with  his  hand  and  trying 
again,  just  as  children  draw  pictures  upon  the  sea-shore.  When 
he  knew  his  letters,  his  teacher  gave  him  a  small,  flat  piece  of 
wood,  about  the  size  of  a  school  slate,  and  a  piece  of  chalk,  and 
he  sat  cross-legged  amongst  the  other  boys,  writing  down  on  his 
wooden  slate  all  the  letters  and  words  which  the  teacher  wrote 
upon  a  blackboard  and  held  up  for  them  to  copy.  It  was  like 
the  blackboard  of  an  English  school,  with  this  difference,  that 
the  things  written  were  always  lines  and  passages  from  the  Bible 
and  from  nothing  else.  And  thus  he  learned  to  read  and  write, 
learning  by  heart,  as  he  wrote,  all  the  things  that  his  teacher  gave 
him.  Although  he  was  a  very  clever  scholar,  you  may  be  certain 
it  was  years  before  he  could  write  Greek  and  Hebrew.  Indeed, 
he  never  was  a  very  good  writer  of  Greek.  But  as  time  passed 
he  was  able  to  read  the  sentences  which  his  schoolmaster  wrote 
upon  the  blackboard,  being  the  verses  of  the  law  of  Moses  which 
they  had  to  learn  off  that  day.  There  was  no  singing,  for  the 
Jews  did  not  care  for  it;  and  no  drawing  or  painting,  for  they 
disliked  pictures,  and  said  that  to  make  a  figure  of  a  man  or  an 
animal  in  clay,  or  to  cut  it  out  of  wood,  was  to  make  an  image, 
and  very  wicked.  And  while  the  Jews  loved  and  adored  their 
fine  and  beautiful  temple,  they  would  not  allow  any  statues  or 
pictures  to  be  in  it. 

Paul  was  now  about  eight  years  of  age,  and  could  read  ;  and 
his  lessons  were  harder,  for  then  his  father  let  him  tenderly 
unroll  the  large  brown  paper  rolls  of  the  books  of  Moses,  which 
he  kept  carefully  preserved  in  a  box  in  the  best  room  of  his  house, 
and  learn  his  lessons  from  them.  And  we  may  be  sure  he  felt 
very  proud  when  his  father  asked  him  to  read  aloud  to  him,  in  the 
dear  Hebrew  language,  from  these  rolls ;  and  you  may  be  certain 
that  his  mother  felt  prouder  still,  for  she  believed  in  her  heart 
that  her  little  boy  would  one  day  be  a  great  teacher— not  a  mere 
schoolmaster,  but  a  rabbi  among  the  great  ones  of  Jerusalem. 

By  the  time  that  he  was  ten  years  of  age  he  would  know 
the  five  books  of  Moses,  and  be  able  to  repeat  the  history  of 
Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  the   ancient  shepherds  and  fathers 


20  WHITE-EYED    SHIPS    IN    THE    HAEBOUR. 

of  the  Jewish  people,  and  how  the  Jews  came  back  from  Egpyt, 
led  by  Moses  their  lawgiver;  and  how  in  the  rocky  desert  the 
people  made  a  small  golden  calf,  and  set  it  up  on  a  pole,  and 
danced  round  it  and  worshipped  it,  and  were  punished  for  doing 
so.  And  he  would  be  able  to  tell  of  the  great  tent,  called  the 
Tabernacle,  in  which  they  worshipped  God,  which  Moses  caused 
to  be  made  out  of  strong  cloth  of  purple  and  skins  of  wild  animals 
dyed  scarlet,  and  of  the  beautiful  curtains  that  dropped  down  to 
divide  it,  and  that  a  cloud  hung  over  it. 

And  thus  the  little  boy  learned  the  history  and  religion  of 
his  people  all  in  one ;  and  while  he  could  not  say  off  the  whole 
of  these  five  books  of  Moses,  he  was  expected  to  be  able  to 
answer  questions  from  any  part  of  them,  and  repeat  the  most 
important  parts.  For  the  great  rabbis  had  said  that  at  his  age 
a  clever  boy  might  go  on  to  learn  out  of  other  books  of  the  Bible, 
which  told  how  the  Jews  conquered  Canaan.  And  Paul  was  glad 
when  he  passed  on  and  was  allowed  to  read  in  these  books,  of 
kings,  battles,  and  adventures,  and  stories  of  God  and  love  and 
gentleness,  which  do  little  boys  more  good  than  tales  of  a  thousand 
battles.  For  in  being  gentle  and  loving  we  are  doing  the  will  of 
God,  but  in  cruelty  and  in  killing  we  are  not. 


White=eyed   Ships   in  the   Harbour. 

TARSUS:    AGED  5-10. 

YOU  must  not  think  that  the  little  boy  Paul  did  nothing  from 
morning  till  night  but  sit  on  the  floor  and  learn  verses  from 
the  Bible,  and  copy  them  with  white  chalk  on  a  little  flat  board. 
School  began  with  him  very  early  in  the  morning,  and  it  was 
over  by  the  time  that  English  boys  are  going  into  their  classes. 
He  was  then  free  to  play  and  frolic  with  his  little  companions 
until  the  time  when  he  had  to  learn  his  tasks  at  home.  Like 
many  other  little  boys  and  girls,  he  did  not  always  come  straight 
home  from  school,  for  there  were  lots  of  things  for  his  sharp 
eyes  to  see. 

The  Greek  boys  of  Tarsus  were  famous  players  of  games,  for 
there  was  a  splendid  place  called  the  Gymnasium  down  near  the 
river,  where  they  were  taught  to  swim  and  leap,  and  wrestle  and 
run,  and  play  games  of  all  kinds  with  balls.  And  while  Paul  was  not 
allowed  to  go  to  it,  he  would  go  with  his  little  Jew  companions 
to  a  shallow  bay  of  the  river,  and,  pulling  off  their  small  tunics, 


WHITE-EYED    SHIPS    IN    THE    HARBOUR.  21 

run  in  and  splash  about  in  the  hot  sunshine,  and  in  time  learn 
to  swim.  And  when  the  birds  were  building  in  the  green  bushes 
by  the  river  banks,  he  would  go  off  to  search  for  their  nests, 
and  count  the  eggs,  and  mark  the  spot  with  a  large  stone,  as 
little  boys  know  how  to  do.  When  the  time  for  ripe  fruits  came, 
he  would  go  into  the  fields  and  orchards,  and  see  the  ruddy  apples 
and  crimson  cherries,  the  golden  oranges  and  pale  citrons,  lemons, 
and  dates  shaken  from  the  trees.  And  at  the  honey  harvest  he 
would  stand  at  a  safe  distance,  ready  to  run  as  he  saw  the  men 
beating  the  air  with  leafy  twigs  to  keep  off  the  bees,  while  others 
took  the  dripping  honeycomb  from  the  hive  and  handed  him  a 
piece  to  eat,  dropping  with  sweetness. 

But  the  greatest  rejoicing  of  all  was  the  vintage  time,  when  he 
went  with  his  father  to  a  hot  vineyard  in  late  autumn,  and  saw 
the  purple  bunches  of  grapes  cut  off  and  tossed  in  heaps  into 
baskets.  And  then  he  would  get  as  many  as  his  little  hands 
could  hold ;  for  they  grew  wild,  and  every  one  could  get  them  to 
eat  with  their  brown  bread. 

Instead  of  coming  straight  home  from  school,  he  would  run 
down  to  the  harbour,  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  and  there  he  saw 
ships,  the  delight  of  all  boys,  that  had  come  on  voyages  over  the  sea 
from  foreign  countries.  And  he  would  look  with  wonder  at  the 
small  wooden  figure  fixed  upon  the  front  of  the  boat  as  a  figure- 
head, which  the  sailors  believed  kept  harm  away.  On  other  ships 
he  saw  a  great  white  eye  painted  on  the  side  of  the  bow,  and 
wondered  what  it  was  for.  And  there  he  saw  men  with  faces  red 
as  copper,  who  had  sailed  all  the  way  from  Egypt,  and  black 
men  who  had  come  from  Africa,  and  merry,  singing  fellows, 
with  caps  of  red  and  blue,  who  had  crossed  from  the  island  of 
Crete,  of  Cyprus,  and  of  Rhodes,  and  the  more  distant  ports  of 
Italy,  Greece,  Syria,  and  Palestine.  And  thus  he  learned  that 
while  Tarsus  was  a  big  city,  there  were  other  cities  and  coun- 
tries far  away  over  the  glittering  sea. 

And  he  would  see  rafts  of  trees,  with  men  standing  upon 
them,  guiding  them  with  poles  and  ropes,  that  had  come  floating 
down  the  river  from  miles  above  the  city,  and  bales  of  goods 
being  hauled  up  out  of  the  ship's  hold,  and  blocks  of  rough 
marble  slowly  dragged  to  the  wharf  by  a  crowd  of  men,  who 
pulled  all  together,  keeping  time  to  one  man  who  shouted  and 
clapped  his  hands.  There,  too,  were  strings  of  asses,  mules,  and 
small  horses,  laden  with  grain  sacks,  bundles  of  hides,  coarse  cloth, 
skins,  wool,  leather  ;  while  others  had  oil  and  wine,  some  carried  in 
black  leather  bottles  and  some  in  red  earthenware  jars — and  all 
waiting  to  have  their  burdens  taken  off  and  put  into  the  ships. 


22  Cleopatra's  gold  boat. 

And  wlien  at  last  a  ship  was  laden,  he  listened  to  the  shouts 
of  the  pilot  and  captain,  and  the  cheery  answers  of  the  sailors, 
as  the  ropes  were  cast  off  and  the  ship  pushed  away  until  it  was 
well  out  into  the  river.  Then  oar  after  oar  would  be  thrust  out 
to  guide  them  down  the  mid  stream,  while  the  steersman  stood 
high  up  on  the  house  at  the  stern,  now  pushing,  now  pulling  at 
the  two  big  steering  oars,  and  shouting  excited  orders  to  the 
rowers  below.  Then  came  the  creaking  of  ropes,  and  the  great 
red-peaked  sail  rising  up  the  mast,  as  the  sailors  sang  and  shouted, 
until  the  wind  caught  it,  making  it  bulge  and  tug  as  if  it  were 
a  living  thing. 

What  little  boy  or  girl  does  not  like  to  visit  a  harbour  and 
see  the  foreign  ships,  and  feel  the  thrill  and  the  mystery  of  the 
strange  cries,  strange  faces,  strange  dresses  of  the  droll-looking 
men,  and  be  awed  and  fascinated  with  the  idea  of  the  lands 
beyond  the  sea,  whence  these  ships  came,  and  whither,  with  white 
wings,  they  will  return?  And  while  the  boy  Paul  felt  the 
glamour  of  the  stir  and  freedom  of  sea  life,  with  his  quick  ears 
and  sharp  eyes  he  was  learning  much  about  ships  and  the  ways 
of  sailors  that  he  did  not  forget,  and  which  would,  doubtless,  be 
of  use  to  him  in  his  own  voyages. 


Cleopatra's  Gold   Boat. 

TARSUS:    AGED   5-10. 

PAUL  would  be  certain  to  hear  about  the  most  wonderful  ship 
that  had  ever  sailed  up  the  river  Cydnus,  for  many  of  the 
old  sailors  about  the  harbour  had  seen  it,  when  Cleopatra,  the 
beautiful  Queen  of  Egypt,  came  to  meet  the  great  Roman 
general  Mark  Antony,  who  had  commanded  her  to  come  to 
Tarsus.  On  that  day  both  sides  of  the  river  were  crowded  with 
people,  all  anxious  to  get  a  sight  of  her,  for  she  was  famous  for 
her  beauty  and  wealth.  She  came  on  a  day  of  sunny  blue  skies 
and  sparkling  water,  and  the  first  sight  they  had  was  of  a  tall 
mast  from  which  ribbons  of  all  colours — crimson,  blue,  white, 
and  yellow — fluttered  in  the  breeze,  and  of  a  great  purple  sail  of 
silk  looped  up  with  white  ropes  to  the  tapering  yard.  On  the 
gilded  bow,  which  rose  high  out  of  the  water,  stood  a  crowd  of 
girls  in  robes  of  pale  green,  glistening  yellow,  rose,  and  deep 
blue,  to  look  like  lovely  maidens  of  the  sea,  while  more  girls 
burned  clouds  of  incense  that  wafted  sweet  odours  to  the  shore. 


CLEOPATRA  S    GOLD    BOAT.  23 

And  as  the  ship  came  close  to  the  city,  tlie  people  saw  that  the 
broad  oars  on  each  side,  with  which  it  was  being  slowly  paddled, 
were  covered  with  silver,  that  flashed  and  shone  as  they  rose  and 
fell  in  the  water,  keeping  time  to  the  music  of  harps  and  flutes. 
The  high  stern  of  the  ship  was  in  the  shape  of  a  house  with 
windows,  all  covered  with  shining  gold,  and  over  it  was  spread 
a  rose-hued  canopy,  embroidered  and  fringed  with  gold.  On  a 
couch  of  softest  cushions  lay  the  beautiful  Egyptian  queen, 
covered  with  sparkling  jew^els,  and  easily  seen  from  each  side ; 
while  little  boys,  dressed  to  look  like  Cupids,  with  shining  robes 
and  snow-white  wings,  fanned  her  with  rainbow  fans  of  peacock 
feathers. 

This  dusky  princess  wished  to  conquer  the  Roman  soldier 
with  her  charms,  and  had  come  to  visit  him  as  Venus,  the  queen 
of  love,  surrounded  by  everything  that  was  lovely.  We  do 
not  now  think  much  of  this  queen,  whose  lips  were  painted  red, 
eyebrows  pencilled  black,  and  finger-tips  stained  a  bright  crocus 
yellow  ;  but  the  boy  Paul  was  told  that  her  gilded  barge,  with 
its  rainbows  of  ribbons,  was  the  most  wonderful  ship  that  ever 
sailed  into  Tarsus. 

Besides  the  busy  harbour,  there  was  another  place  in  the  city 
of  great  interest  to  boys  with  sharp  eyes,  and  that  was  the  wide, 
open  market-place,  where  the  most  of  the  buying  and  selling  was 
done  for  the  country  round  about.  Fairs  ^vere  held  there,  when 
the  shepherds  of  the  hills  came  down  to  sell  their  long-haired 
sheep  and  black  and  white  goats,  horses,  asses,  camels,  horned 
cattle,  and  pigs.  Round  this  open  square  w^ere  most  of  the  shops 
of  the  city — not  stone  buildings  with  windows  stocked  with 
wares,  but  open  sheds  and  movable  stalls  and  tables,  with  thick 
tent-like  shades  over  them  of  black  and  brown,  red  and  yellow, 
to  keep  off"  the  hot  sun. 

There  sat  the  sandal  and  slipper  makers  at  work,  in  a  shed 
hung  round  with  shoes  of  scarlet,  yellow,  and  brown  leather ; 
while  the  man  inside  sat  cross-legged  on  the  floor,  cutting  up 
hides  with  a  sharp  knife,  and  sewing  them  together  with  needle 
and  thread.  There,  too,  were  the  saddle  and  harness  makers,  and 
the  weaver  in  his  shed,  with  his  strange  rattling  loom,  that  looked 
like  a  mass  of  strings  and  sticks  hanging  from  the  roof,  out  of 
which  came  carpets,  rugs,  and  shawls  of  the  brightest  colours,  of 
red  and  blue-green,  growing  ever  larger  as  the  weaver  rattled  and 
shook  his  strings  and  sticks,  throwing  his  shuttle  from  side  to  side 
and  catching  it  with  his  hands.  There  were  plenty  of  weavers  in 
Tarsus,  for  they  had  to  weave  fine  silk  of  orange  and  rose  for  the 
ladies'  scarfs,  thick  wool  for  men's  cloaks,  white  linen  for  little 


24  THE    CHEERFUL    SABBATH    LAMP. 

girls'  dresses,  and  strong  hairclotli  of  goats'  hair  for  shepherds' 
tents  and  ships'  sails. 

And  there,  behind  a  stall  covered  with  painted  cups  and  dishes 
of  all  shapes,  sat  the  potter,  spinning  bowls  and  jugs  on  a  little 
muddy  wheel,  driven  by  a  boy  with  a  string,  as  potters  do  still. 
But  it  would  take  too  long  to  tell  you  of  the  perfumers,  barbers, 
confectioners,  bakers,  cabinet-makers,  blacksmiths,  sword  and 
dagger  makers. 

There  was  also  a  sad  and  pitiful  sight — the  slave  market, 
where  Paul  saw  boys  and  girls,  many  black,  but  some  almost 
white,  standing  for  sale.  Yet  he  looked  upon  them  without  pity, 
for  he  had  been  taught  that  it  was  right  that  some  people  should 
be  free,  and  others  be  slaves,  to  be  sold  for  money,  and  whipped 
if  they  disobeyed  their  masters.  But  you  know  that  it  is  wrong, 
and  when  Paul  grew  up  he  changed  his  mind  about  slaves,  as  he 
did  about  many  other  things  that  he  was  very  busy  learning  at 
this  time ;  and  it  was  Jesus  who  made  him  change. 


The  Cheerful  Sabbath   Lamp. 

TARSUS:    AGED   5-10. 

EVERY  Friday  was  a  holiday  at  the  little  synagogue  school,  and 
Paul  really  loved  that  day,  for  on  it  his  father  ceased  work 
early ;  and  the  weekly  Sabbath  began  at  the  going  down  of  the 
sun,  and  lasted  until  sunset  on  Saturday  evening,  during  which 
his  father  did  no  work.  Our  Sabbath  begins  at  midnight,  and 
because  Jesus  rose  from  the  grave  on  that  day,  it  has  ever  since 
been  called  the  first  day  of  the  week  and  the  Christian  Sabbath. 
But  the  change  had  not  been  made  when  Paul  was  a  boy,  for 
Jesus  w^as  then  a  youth  at  Nazareth. 

When  Paul's  father  came  in  on  the  Friday  night,  he  found 
the  house  swept  and  tidied,  and  his  wife  and  the  children  dressed 
in  their  best  clothes,  and  the  evening  meal  cooked  and  laid  out 
upon  a  white  tablecloth,  where  the  cheerful  Sabbath  lamp  shed 
a  soft  light  over  fresh  flowers,  red  wine,  and  newly-baked  bread. 
As  he  entered  he  touched  the  little  bright  box  on  the  side  of  the 
door,  and  kissed  his  finger,  saying,  "The  Lord  shall  preserve  thy 
going  out  and  thy  coming  in."  And  then  he  kissed  his  wife  and 
children,  and  putting  his  hand  upon  Paul's  head,  said,  "May  God 
make  thee  as  Ephraim  and  Manasseh  ; "  and  upon  his  sister's  head, 
saying,  "May  God  make  thee  as  Sarah  and  Rebekah." 


THE    CHEERFUL    SABBATH    LAMP.  25 

Then  he  put  off  his  working  clothes,  and  washed  and  dressed 
himself  as  for  a  joyous  feast.  When  the  last  rays  of  the  sun 
disappeared  behind  the  purple  mountains,  and  the  first  silver 
star  had  come  out  in  the  deep  sky,  the  Sabbath  began ;  for  the 
trumpet  had  sounded  from  the  synagogue,  and  the  silver  trumpets 
from  the  roof  of  the  golden  temple  at  Jerusalem.  The  room  door 
was  closed ;  but  before  sitting  down  to  their  cheerful  supper,  his 
father  asked  a  blessing  upon  the  house  and  all  in  it,  and  washing 
his  hands  in  a  basin  of  water  held  up  to  him  by  one  of  his  chil- 
dren, he  poured  out  a  cup  of  red  wine  and  water.  Standing  round 
the  table,  they  all  tasted  of  it ;  while  he  spoke  a  few  words  about 
God  and  the  vine,  and  the  joyous  Sabbath  day,  and  breaking 
bread,  he  dipped  a  small  piece  for  each  in  salt,  and  handed  it  to 
them.  Then  they  sat  down  to  the  most  joyful  meal  of  the  week, 
of  fish  and  soup,  bread,  milk,  fruit,  and  raisin  wine. 

When  the  Sabbath  supper  was  over,  Paul's  father  chanted  a 
familiar  thanksgiving  in  which  they  all  joined,  and  read  those 
parts  of  the  Bible  which  said  that  God  made  the  Sabbath  a  day 
of  rest,  and  that  no  work  was  to  be  done,  not  even  to  light  a  fire 
or  cook  food,  and  he  would  tell  them  that  these  rules  had  been 
made  stricter  by  the  raljbis.  He  told  them  over  again  the  ever- 
to-be-remembered  story  of  how  the  Jews  were  brought  out  of 
Egypt ;  and  he  would  ask  little  Paul  questions,  which  he  was  very 
proud  to  answer.  His  father  would  say  with  a  very  grave  face, 
for  he  fully  believed  it,  that  any  man  who  worked  on  the  Sabbath 
day  deserved  to  be  put  to  death ;  and  would  tell  of  the  man  who 
was  found  gathering  sticks  for  a  fire,  and  Moses  ordered  him  to 
be  stoned  outside  the  camp  of  black  tents. 

When  morning  came,  no  smoke  was  seen  issuing  from  the 
chimneys  of  the  houses  in  the  Jews'  streets.  But  the  day  was  not 
cheerless,  although  it  was  spent  principally  indoors,  as  the  Sabbath 
laws  would  not  allow  them  to  walk  a  mile ;  but  they  visited  their 
neighbours,  and  had  them  in.  The  people  of  Tarsus  did  not  keep 
any  Sabbath,  and  made  sport  of  the  Jews  for  doing  so ;  but  they 
were  so  faithful  to  their  religion  that  they  put  ropes  across  the 
ends  of  their  streets,  to  keep  them  quiet. 

Paul  was  thus  early  taught  that  it  was  a  wicked  thing  even 
to  carry  a  walking-stick  on  the  Sabbath ;  but  he  did  not  know 
that  the  rabbis  who  made  these  little  Sabbath  laws  for  the  people 
did  not  keep  them.  Jesus  has  taught  us  how  to  keep  the  Sabbath 
rightly,  and  He  was  called  many  cruel  names  for  breaking  these 
little  Sabbath  rules  which  Paul's  father  thought  so  important. 


26  THE    STAR-LAMP    OF    THE    SYNAGOGUE. 

The  Star = Lamp  of  the  Synagogue, 

TARSUS  :    AGED    5-10. 

THE  Jewish  synagogue  has  set  us  the  pattern  of  our  churches  ; 
and  when  little  Paul  went  on  Sunday  mornings  with  his 
mother  and  sisters,  it  was  not  to  a  splendid  temple  of  white 
marble  set  in  the  midst  of  a  grove  of  trees,  but  to  a  small 
round  building  in  one  of  the  city  streets,  with  a  trailing  vine,  a 
bunch  of  flowers,  or  a  branched  candlestick  carved  in  stone  over 
the  door,  by  which  everybody  knew  that  it  was  a  synagogue. 
They  looked  neither  to  the  right  hand  nor  to  the  left  as  they 
went  along  the  narrow  streets ;  and  as  they  passed  through  the 
small  door,  it  seemed  very  dark  inside  after  the  sunshine. 

Looking  through  the  women's  screen,  he  saw  the  tall  brass 
candlestick  with  seven  branches,  and  the  rich  curtain  of  purple, 
scarlet,  blue,  and  gold  where  hung  the  ever-burning  lamp,  and 
behind  which  was  the  box  where  the  large  rolls  of  the  Bible 
books  were  kept.  When  his  father  came,  he  took  off  his  shoes, 
and  tied  his  phylacteries  on  arm  and  brow,  before  walking  slowly 
to  a  seat  in  front  of  the  beautiful  curtain  where  the  chief  men  sat. 
In  the  middle  of  the  place  were  a  raised  platform  and  a  reader's 
desk,  and  in  front  of  this  the  men  sat  cross-legged  on  the  floor, 
some  with  heads  covered  with  their  blue  j^raying  shawls,  and  all 
with  faces  turned  towards  Jerusalem  and  the  star-lamp. 

When  the  door  was  closed,  some  one  began  to  repeat  a  beau- 
tiful prayer  from  the  Bible  which  they  all  knew ;  and  when  they 
heard  the  voice  they  stood  up,  and  this  is  part  of  what  he  said, — 

Blessed  is  the  Lord,  king  of  the  world, 
Who  made  light  and  darkness  ; 
Who  makes  peace,  and  creates  everything; 
Who  in  mercy  gives  light  to  the  earth ; 
Who  in  goodness,  day  by  day,  and  every  day, 
Renews  the  works  of  creation. 

"Amen,"  said  little  Paul  with  the  rest,  as  they  stood  with 
bowed  heads  in  the  dim  synagogue.  And  again  they  heard  the 
voice, — 

With  great  love  Thou  hast  loved  us,  O  our  God ; 

With  great  pity  Thou  hast  pitied  us,  our  Father  and  King : 

Have  mercy  on  us,  and  teach  us ; 

Give  light  to  our  eyes  in  the  law^ ; 

And  unite  our  hearts  to  love  and  fear  Thee, 


THE    STAR-LAMP    OF    THE    SYNAGOGUE.  27 

The  people  sat  down  as  the  reader  went  forward  to  the  desk 
and  read  out  certain  well-known  parts  of  the  Bible,  which  they 
all  said  with  bowed  heads,  for  even  the  youngest  could  say  them, 
beginning, — 

Hear,  O  Israel :  The  Lord  our  God  is  one  God. 

After  he  had  read  on  for  some  time,  he  left  the  reading- 
desk,  and  standing  before  the  beautiful  curtain,  repeated  another 
prayer, — 

Blessed  be  the  God  of  our  fathers, 
Who  remembers  His  gracious  promises, 
And  brings  a  Saviour  to  our  children. 

Four  times  the  speaker  paused,  and  four  times  the  people  mur- 
mured "Amen." 

If  there  was  a  priest  in  the  synagogue,  he  came  forward ;  and 
holding  up  his  hands  with  the  tips  of  his   fingers   touching,  he 
blessed  the  people  in  words  which  we  all  know, — 
The  Lord  bless  thee,  and  keep  thee  : 
The  Lord  make  His  face  shine  upon  thee, 
And  give  thee  peace. 

But  that  was  not  the  end.  After  this  the  reader  went  behind 
the  beautiful  curtain,  and  came  out  carrying  a  large  paper  roll  on 
a  stick  ;  and  going  up  to  the  reading-desk,  in  a  loud  voice,  as  if 
singing,  he  read  a  few  verses  in  Hebrew,  and  stopped,  while  the 
interpreter  repeated  it  in  Greek,  so  that  all  might  understand. 
And  in  that  manner  he  read  the  Law  of  Moses. 

Then  Paul  saw  him  take  up  another  large  roll,  and  read  a 
part  from  the  "Prophets:"  for  they  divided  the  Law  and  the 
Prophets  into  portions,  so  that  by  reading  a  part  every  Sabbath 
they  got  through  the  whole  in  a  year. 

When  he  sat  down  there  was  silence ;  and  the  people  waited 
to  see  who  would  speak,  for  there  was  no  minister.  Any  one 
was  at  liberty  to  do  so.  And  the  boy  would  see  the  speaker  go 
up  to  the  reader's  platform,  and  sitting  down  cross-legged  there, 
begin  quietly  to  talk  about  the  passages  of  the  Bible  wl  -  -h  they 
had  just  heard.  If  he  was  a  learned  teacher,  he  would  gi\e  them 
an  address,  full  of  the  rules  which  the  rabbis  of  past  times  had 
spun  out  of  the  verses.  And  Paul  would  hear  cries  and  rem.arks 
from  the  crowd  of  listening  men,  for  that  was  usual;  and  often  at 
the  end  the  speaker  had  to  answer  questions,  which  was  a  very 
good  thing,  but  it  would  not  find  much  favour  amongst  our 
ministers.  There  was  no  singing,  except  on  festival  days ;  and 
when  questions  were  over,  a  short  blessing  sent  the  people  quietly 
away  home. 


28  LEARNING    THE    RELIGIOUS    LAWS. 

And  so  the  Sabbath  day  went  by ;  for  his  father  lived  under 
very  strict  rules  not  to  go  out  walking,  but  to  spend  the  day  at 
home  with  his  wife  and  children,  not  sadly  but  joyfully,  as  a  day 
of  rest  and  gladness,  and  of  drawing  near  to  God. 

And  when  the  sun  sloped  towards  the  western  hills,  and 
shadows  lengthened  over  field  and  vineyard,  his  father  called 
his  family  round  him  ;  and  as  the  sun  disappeared  and  the  first 
star  shone  out,  he  spoke  a  blessing  upon  the  departing  day — the 
sign  for  the  household  work  and  bustle  of  another  week  to  begin, 
for  the  Sabbath  was  ended. 


Learning  the   Religious   Laws. 

TARSUS  :    AGED    5-10. 

WHAT  with  learning  to  read  and  write  and  do  accounts,  and 
studying  verses  and  chapters  of  the  Bible,  Paul  had  hard 
lessons  for  one  so  young.  But  his  teacher  was  not  unkind.  The 
Jews  were  very  fond  of  their  children.  We  have  three  names 
— baby,  child,  youth ;  but  they  had  nine  :  suckling,  weaned  one, 
bread-asker,  firm  one,  ripe  one,  are  some  of  them.  Every  school 
teacher  must  have  children  of  his  own,  and  be  kind,  so  that  he 
might  know  how  to  treat  them,  and  he  was  well  watched  by  the 
old  men  of  the  synagogue.  They  did  not  allow  him  to  keep  them 
in  school  very  long  at  a  time,  for  little  children  are  apt  to  be 
tired  and  cross  in  hot  weather.  He  might  scold,  but  might  not 
punish  them  with  anything  harder  than  a  piece  of  leather. 

Little  Paul  was  expected  to  learn  the  five  books  of  the  Law 
of  Moses  between  the  time  that  he  went  to  school  and  ten  years 
of  age.  That  seems  a  long  time ;  but  when  you  remember  that 
Genesis  has  fifty  chapters,  some  with  sixty  verses,  you  can  see 
that  four  years  is  not  so  long  after  all.  If  you  care  to  turn 
them  all  up,  you  will  find  that  these  five  books  contain  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty-seven  chapters  and  six  thousand  five  hundred  and 
seventy  verses !  But  besides  religion,  he  learned  history,  travels, 
and  a  hundred  other  things  from  these  books.  From  the  books 
of  the  Prophets  he  learned  how  their  country  had  been  con- 
quered, and  Jews  taken  captive  to  other  cities,  and  that  many 
thousands  remained  dispersed  in  other  countries,  and  he  was  told 
that  one  day  they  would  all  be  gathered  into  their  own  land 
again.     But  that  has  not  happened  yet. 

He  also  learned  from  the  Bible  that  the  priests  at  the  golden 


ROMAN    SOLDIERS    AND    PROCESSIONS.  29 

temple  had  all  their  duties  planned  out  by  Moses,  even  to  the 
shape  and  colour  of  their  clothes ;  and  he  read  about  the  laws  by 
which  people  were  to  be  guided  in  their  daily  life,  and  about  the 
punishments  for  breaking  them.  And  he  read  with  awe  that 
death  by  sword,  or  spear,  or  stoning  was  the  punishment  for  any 
one  who  worshipped  an  idol,  or  spoke  against  God,  or  broke  the 
Sabbath  law.  We  do  not  carry  out  these  now ;  but  the  little 
fellow  was  told,  and  believed,  that  it  would  be  most  wicked  of 
him  to  say  that  such  laws  were  not  just  and  right. 

It  was  not  to  be  expected  that  little  boys  of  nine  or  ten 
would  understand  what  they  read  in  these  books,  any  more  than 
we  should  expect  them  now,  and  they  were  told  to  ask  questions 
of  the  schoolmaster — a  very  good  way  to  interest  them  and  make 
them  think  about  what  he  was  saying.  If  this  were  the  custom 
in  our  schools  and  churches,  what  a  lot  of  curious  questions  our 
children  would  ask  !  for  I  am  sure  there  are  many  things  said 
which  they  do  not  understand  and  would  like  very  much  to  know. 
You  can  imagine  the  pleasure  amongst  the  boys  sitting  on  the  floor 
of  that  school  if  little  Paul  put  a  question  which  the  grey-haired 
teaclier  could  not  answer ;  and  this  would  sometimes  happen,  for 
he  was  a  very  clever  boy,  and  there  are  strange  things  in  the  Law 
of  Moses.  But  there  was  also  this  unpleasant  rule,  that  whatever 
his  master  said  he  must  believe,  however  strange  or  impossible  it 
might  seem. 

The  laws  and  rules  which  he  learned  at  school  he  saw  his 
father  carrying  out  with  the  greatest  care  at  home,  even  to  the 
particular  way  in  which  he  washed  his  hands  before  and  after 
food  ;  for  his  father  was  a  very  strict  Pharisee,  and  besides  the  two 
Sabbath  services  at  the  synagogue,  there  were  services  on  Mondays 
and  Thursdays  which  his  father  would  not  miss,  and  to  which 
little  Paul  would  have  to  go. 


Roman  Soldiers  and   Processions. 

TARSUS:    AGED    5-10. 

ALTHOUGH  they  spoke  Greek  in  Tarsus,  it  was  really  a 
^~^  Roman  city,  conquered  long  before  Paul  was  born.  The 
people  were  principally  Cilicians,  but  there  were  Syrians,  Italians, 
Greeks,  and  Jews  among  them.  The  Jews  were  a  very  small  part 
of  the  whole,  and  were  not  liked  by  the  rest  of  the  people,  who 
did  not  understand  their  way  of  worshipping  an  unseen  God  in 


30  ROMAN    SOLDIERS    AND    PROCESSIONS. 

their  houses  and  synagogues,  and  despised  them  for  not  going 
to  the  city  temples  or  to  the  great  festivals  held  in  honour  of  their 
Greek  idols. 

The  Jews  were  not  soldiers,  but  little  Paul  often  saw  the 
Roman  troops  marching  through  the  streets  from  the  castle  to 
the  country — footmen  in  rough  tunics  of  all  colours,  coming 
down  to  their  knees  like  kilts,  with  stout  leather  shoes  fastened 
on  their  bare  feet,  making  a  dull  sound  on  the  street  as  they 
marched  past  in  a  band,  each  wearing  a  heavy  leather  jacket 
shining  with  brass  plates  on  back  and  front.  Their  legs  and  often 
their  arms  had  shining  brass  coverings  strapped  upon  them,  and 
on  their  heads  were  leather  caps  that  flashed  with  brass  plates, 
often  with  a  ridge  of  white  or  black  horse-hair,  like  a  brush,  that 
added  much  to  the  fierceness  of  their  appearance.  At  their  side 
hung  the  terrible  short  sword  of  bronze,  their  left  hand  clasped  a 
long  bronze-headed  spear,  and  on  their  back  was  slung  a  heavy 
shield  of  bull-hide  studded  with  brass,  having  the  soldier's  name 
and  number  written  inside.  These  were  the  terrible  men  who 
lived  by  fighting  for  their  masters  in  the  far-away  city  of  Rome. 
Fighting  was  their  trade,  and  they  cared  little  who  they  fought 
for  or  why  they  fought. 

Others  were  light  and  active,  and  rode  beautiful  horses,  with 
only  a  cloth  pad  for  a  saddle,  and  no  stirrups  ;  and  every  one 
could  spring  on  to  his  horse's  back,  spear  in  hand,  at  one  bound. 
And  little  wonder.  From  boyhood  they  were  trained  for  horse 
soldiers,  and  horse  soldiers  they  would  be  to  the  end  of  their  lives. 
They  had  no  music  to  cheer  them ;  but  in  front,  when  they  were 
going  into  battle,  went  a  row  of  men,  with  long,  straight  trumpets 
of  bronze  in  their  hands,  which  gave  forth  all  at  once  a  frightful 
blare,  as  the  terrible  signal  for  the  slaughter.  Instead  of  banners, 
some  companies  carried  a  small  flag  of  green  or  red,  embroidered 
with  a  serpent,  that  fluttered  from  a  crossbar  on  the  top  of  a  gilt 
pole,  while  some  had  only  the  number  of  their  band.  Others  had 
no  flag  at  all,  but  a  gilt  ball,  a  small  figure  of  the  emperor,  or  a 
little  eagle  with  outstretched  wings,  upon  their  pole.  The  other 
end  was  shod  with  brass  to  use  for  fighting,  or  when  they  stopped 
marching,  to  stick  into  the  ground  and  mark  the  place  for  their  band. 

And  Paul  was  taught  to  hate  the  sight  of  these  men,  and  he 
heard  his  father  praying  every  day  that  the  Saviour  would  soon 
come  who  would  deliver  his  country  from  them.  But  in  later 
years  he  got  to  like  the  Roman  soldiers,  for  they  saved  his  life, 
and  some  were  kind  to  him. 

It  is  not  likely  that  the  boy  Paul  would  be  allowed  to  watch 
the  processions  from  the  groves  and  temples  of  the  idols  when  the 


SYNAGOGUE    FESTIVALS.  31 

city  of  Tarsus  kept  a  holiday,  and  hundreds  of  white-robed  priests, 
men  and  women,  were  decked  with  flowers  and  ribbons,  to  walk, 
dance,  and  sing  through  the  streets,  and  drink,  feast,  and  revel  in 
the  temples.  The  priests  said  it  was  in  honour  of  the  idols,  but 
their  way  of  doing  them  honour  was  even  more  vile  than  the 
images  they  served.  Sometimes  it  was  in  the  name  of  Apollo,  the 
idol  of  the  sun ;  sometimes  of  Hermes,  the  idol  of  games ;  some- 
times of  Sardanapalus,  the  drunken  king  of  Assyria,  who  was  said 
to  have  built  Tarsus  eight  hundred  years  before.  The  procession 
in  his  honour  went  out  of  the  city  to  walk  round  his  ancient 
statue  by  the  side  of  the  sea. 

They  revelled  also  over  the  name  of  Semiramis,  who,  they  said, 
was  the  first  queen  of  that  country,  some  two  thousand  years 
before,  and  whom  they  mixed  up  with  Venus,  the  idol  hated  by 
the  Jews  under  the  name  of  Ashtoreth.  The  processions  in  her 
honour,  in  which  women  took  a  large  share,  were  the  vilest  of 
all.  They  also  kept  the  birthday  festival  of  the  Roman  emperor 
Augustus ;  and  as  these  holidays  were  partly  religious,  they  were 
hated  by  the  Jews,  who  took  no  part  in  them,  and  kept  their 
children  out  of  sight,  telling  them  that  it  was  very  wicked  to  pay 
honours  to  idols  of  wood  and  stone. 


Syna^o^ue   Festivals, 

TARSUS  :    AGED    5-10. 

THE  Jewish  festivals  were,  of  course,  kept  with  far  greater 
splendour  in  the  golden  temple  than  in  Tarsus ;  but  each 
synagogue  was  a  small  temple,  and  the  rabbis  at  Jerusalem  said 
that  the  Jews  in  foreign  cities  must  keep  the  festivals  as  well  as 
they  could.  At  the  Purim  festival  the  children  went  to  the  candle- 
lit synagogue  in  high  spirits.  It  was  held  in  spring,  in  memory 
of  Queen  Esther,  when  flowers  were  bright  among  the  grass ;  and 
the  reader  read  the  whole  Book  of  Esther,  and  every  time  he 
came  to  the  name  of  the  hated  Haman,  the  children  shouted  and 
screamed,  while  the  people  stamped  their  feet,  to  show  how  much 
they  hated  the  vile  chief  minister  who  plotted  to  murder  the  Jews 
in  Persia  so  long  ago.  But  at  the  name  of  Esther  there  were  low 
murmurs  everywhere  of  blessings  on  her  name,  and  at  the  end 
some  kind  person  gave  cakes  and  sweetmeats  to  the  children  as 
they  went  out.  And  that  old  festival  is  kept  by  little  Jewish 
children  in  the  same  happy  way  to  this  day. 


82  SYNAGOGUE    FESTIVALS. 

In  the  wintry  month  of  December,  when  the  snow-clouds  came 
down  from  the  mountains  to  lie  white  about  their  doors,  there  was 
a  festival  in  memory  of  Judas  Maccabeus,  and  of  the  time  when 
he  reopened  the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  after  it  had  been  closed  for 
three  years.  Then  the  children  carried  branches  of  bright  green 
palms  to  the  small  synagogue,  lighted  with  lamps  and  candles 
until  it  was  said  to  be  a  blaze  of  light  inside.  Lanterns,  too,  were 
hung  inside  and  outside  their  houses,  and  candles  lighted,  begin- 
ning  with  one,  and  lighting  a  fresh  one  every  night,  till  at  the  end 
of  the  festival  there  were  eight  candles  for  each  person  in  the 
house.  And  that  was  their  way  of  showing  how  joy  increased 
as  the  days  went  by. 

Paul  rejoiced  also  when  the  festival  of  First-fruits  came  in 
the  sunny  month  of  June,  when  he  went  again  with  the  children 
to  the  synagogue,  this  time  with  their  necks  decked  with  Howers, 
red  and  blue,  and  carrying  green  garlands  in  their  hands,  to  see 
the  small  white  willow  baskets,  filled  with  fruits  of  all  kinds, 
brought  in  and  laid  before  the  rich  curtain  and  the  ever-burning 
lamp,  as  an  offering  to  God  of  the  first  and  best  of  their  fruits  and 
grain. 

And  there  was  the  joyful  festival  of  the  New  Moon,  which 
came  every  month.  He  knew  that  men  were  set  to  watch  for  the 
slender  slit  of  the  white  moon  in  the  blue  sky,  and  that  they  ran 
to  the  synagogue  to  tell  of  its  first  appearing.  The  neighbours 
in  his  street,  too,  stood  at  their  doors  looking  out  for  the  same 
white  bow,  and  he  pleased  his  father  by  being  the  first  to  see  it, 
and  heard  him  say  in  a  solemn  voice,  as  he  looked  at  the  new 
light,  "  Blessed  art  thou,  0  God,  who  didst  create  the  sky  and  the 
stars.  Joyfully  and  gladly  do  they  fulfil  the  will  of  their  Creator. 
Blessed  art  thou,  O  God,  who  renewest  the  moons." 

There  was  no  school  on  that  day,  and  friends  were  invited  in 
to  share  their  cheerful  supper ;  and  it  would  be  none  the  less  a 
night  of  joy  in  Tarsus  that  the  Greeks  also  were  rejoicing  over 
the  little  hoop  of  light  in  the  evening  sky.  And  besides  these 
monthly  moons,  the  first  new  moon  of  the  year  was  greeted  with 
trumpets  and  cow-horns  blown  up  to  it,  and  with  such  extra  joy 
and  feasting  that  it  was  called  the  festival  of  Trumpets. 

But  we  are  more  pleased  when  the  moon  is  at  the  full,  for 
then  the  earth  is  brightened,  and  a  path  of  dancing  silver  is  laid 
upon  the  sea. 


THE   GYMNASIUM   AND   RACECOUKSB.  83 

The  Gymnasium  and   Racecourse. 

TARSUS:    AGED  5-10. 

THERE  was  a  great  open-air  theatre  at  Tarsus,  and  if  Paul 
was  allowed  to  go  and  see  it,  that  would  not  be  when  it  was 
crowded  with  thousands  of  excited  people,  but  when  it  was  empty. 
It  covered  a  large  hollow  at  the  foot  of  a  slope,  where  rows  above 
rows  of  stone  seats  were  built  in  a  wide  half-circle.  Thither 
the  people  of  the  city,  rich  and  poor,  came  crowding  in  the  early 
mornings,  to  see  men  acting  Greek  plays  for  half  a  day  at  a  time, 
and  hear  the  music  of  flutes  and  harps  and  pipes  and  singing, 
with  intervals  for  refreshment.  For  the  educated  people  loved  to 
see  plays,  and  hear  fresh  pieces  of  poetry  and  new  music.  But 
the  Jews  did  not  like  it,  and  Paul's  father  thought  such  things 
were  not  fit  for  the  son  of  a  Pharisee. 

The  racecourse  for  foot  races,  in  the  part  of  the  city  farthest 
from  the  sea,  was  another  place  about  which  the  boy  Paul  would 
hear  a  good  deal.  The  Greeks  and  the  E/Omans  were  so  fond  of 
running  that  a  youth  who  gained  one  of  their  great  races  had 
a  statue  put  up  to  him,  and  was  as  much  praised  as  if  he  had 
done  a  great  and  good  thing.  The  racecourse  was  a  huge  open 
place  like  the  theatre,  but  long-shaped,  and  the  youths  ran  to 
the  end  and  back  again.  On  each  side  were  rows  above  rows 
of  seats,  and  thither  the  people  came  in  thousands  to  see  the 
contests  among  the  young  men,  who  had  been  training  for  years 
to  win  a  prize.  If  Paul  did  not  see  the  games,  he  saw  plenty 
of  young  men  training  for  them ;  and  after  they  were  over  he 
would  hear  the  name  of  the  youth  who  had  won  the  chief  race, 
for  everybody  would  be  talking  about  it  and  wearing  the  colours 
of  the  different  racers. 

The  place  which  gave  the  greatest  fame  to  the  city  was  the 
gymnasium — a  name  which  we  still  give  to  places  where  boys  and 
girls  are  taught  gymnastics.  Built  on  a  sloping  piece  of  country 
on  the  east  of  the  city,  it  was  such  a  place  for  size  and  splen- 
dour as  you  would  never  think  of.  We  think  that  to  teach  little 
boys  to  be  good  and  clever  is  the  first  and  best  thing,  but  the 
Greeks  thought  differently.  They  said  that  to  train  them  to  be 
strong  and  graceful  came  first.  From  sixteen  to  eighteen  boys 
were  taught  nothing  but  gymnastics,  so  that  they  might  be 
powerful  men ;  but  they  were  not  so  careful  that  they  should  be 
good  as  well  as  graceful.  You  must  not,  however,  think  that 
this  place  was  all  for  leaping,   wrestling,  and  running.     It  was 

(1.040)  3 


34  THE   GYMNASIUM    AND    RACECOURSE. 

daily  crowded  with  boys  and  youths,  but  the  wisest  men  of  the 
city  also  went  there  to  meet  and  talk  of  learned  things. 

There  were  hot  and  cold  baths,  where  all  boys  were  taught  to 
swim  and  to  love  bathing;  and  after  each  bath  they  were  well 
rubbed  with  olive  oil  to  make  them  supple,  for  they  wore  no 
clothing  when  at  their  games.  In  fine  weather  they  practised 
in  playgrounds,  and  when  it  rained  they  went  into  large,  roofed 
places,  and  there  the  masters  taught  them  walking,  running, 
leaping,  dancing,  singing,  and  many  games  played  with  balls. 

And  Paul  would  see  the  boys,  shining  with  oil,  spinning  tops 
of  good  size,  rushing  to  and  fro  at  football,  or  pulling  with  all  their 
strength  in  a  tug-of-war.  They  had  also  to  throw  weights  and 
rings,  and  shoot  at  marks ;  and  at  a  certain  age  they  were  taught 
grammar,  which  covered  much,  as  you  will  afterwards  hear.  A 
magistrate  walked  about  in  white  shoes  and  a  purple  cloak,  with 
many  officers  under  him ;  and  part  of  their  duty  was  to  see  that 
the  boys  played  fairly,  and  did  not  fight,  or  even  lose  their 
tempers,  and  that  was  a  very  wise  rule. 

Kinging  all  day  with  the  merriment  of  boys'  voices,  it  was  a 
cheerful  spot,  with  high  buildings  of  carved  pillar  and  sculp- 
tured wall;  and  throughout  the  halls  and  baths,  the  terraces, 
gardens,  and  groves,  were  many  statues  in  white  marble  and 
coloured  stone,  of  famous  men,  and  of  beautiful  youths  who  had 
won  prizes.  Thus  the  boys  were  taught  not  only  to  think  highly 
of  youthful  strength  and  skill,  but  also  of  wise  men.  If  it 
rained,  there  were  broad  porches,  where  the  learned  men  walked 
about  among  the  pillars  and  looked  out  upon  the  gardens  below 
and  the  country  beyond ;  and  in  fine  weather  they  went  in  small 
groups  along  winding  paths  shaded  with  thick  green  laurels. 
And  while  the  clever  ones  talked  together,  the  less  clever  listened, 
too  often  to  some  argument  which  was  only  meant  to  show  how 
clever  the  talkers  were ;  and  yet  it  was  from  this  garden  that 
tutors  were  sought  for  the  sons  of  emperors. 

And  when  his  father  took  Paul  to  see  the  boys  at  play,  he 
would  tell  his  little  son  that  these  supple,  laughing  fellows 
might  make  strong  soldiers  or  fast  runners,  but  the  boy  who 
studied  the  law  of  Moses,  and  excelled  in  learning  and  goodness, 
would  grow  up  a  better  man. 


LEARNING   THE    TRADITIONS.  35 

Learning  the  Traditions. 

TARSUS:    AGED   5-10. 

THE  Bible  books  which  Paul  learned  were  almost  the  same 
as  ours,  only  there  were  more  of  them.  He  read  the  Law 
of  Moses  in  Hebrew,  which  was  like  a  sacred  language ;  but 
the  other  books  he  read  in  Greek,  the  language  of  every  day. 
The  old  Jewish  rabbis  divided  the  Bible  into  three  parts.  First 
came  five  books  called  the  Law,  then  twenty-two  books  called 
the  Prophets,  and  the  remainder  were  called  the  Writings. 
Paul  was  now  reading  the  Prophets,  about  kings  and  wars,  and 
ever  the  story  was  woven  through  with  love  for  God  and  obedi- 
eivce  to  Him,  showing  that  when  the  Jews  worshipped  God  they 
prospered,  but  when  they  worshipped  idols  they  did  not. 

He  read  of  Samson,  the  Jewish  judge,  who  tied  lighted  brands 
to  the  tails  of  foxes,  and  let  them  off  among  the  Philistine  corn ; 
of  Jehu,  the  Jewish  king,  who  was  known  to  the  watchers  on 
the  city  wall  by  his  furious  chariot-driving  ;  of  the  lepers  who 
went  out  of  Samaria  to  give  themselves  up  to  the  Syrian  army, 
and  found  that  they  had  all  taken  fright  and  fled,  leaving  their 
tents;  and  of  the  black  Queen  of  Sheba,  who  came  to  see  King 
Solomon,  and  was  astonished  at  his  grandeur.  And  so  he  read, 
until,  like  many  Jewish  boys  of  ten,  he  knew  far  more  of  the 
history  of  his  country  than  English  boys  of  that  age  know  of 
England. 

When  he  came  to  the  twelve  books  called  the  Writings,  he 
did  not  find  so  many  stories ;  for  some  are  wise  sayings,  some 
songs,  some  long  poems,  and  some  history  ;  but  all  were  held  in 
high  favour  by  his  teachers,  as  we  hold  them  now.  He  had  then 
to  learn  long  portions  of  the  Psalms,  and  read  tales  about  kings 
both  good  and  bad,  and  of  the  boy  Daniel,  who  became  a  great 
man  in  Assyria,  and  would  not  give  up  worshipping  God  even  if 
he  had  to  die  for  it. 

You  may  think  that  thirty-nine  books  of  the  Bible  were  quite 
enough  for  a  boy  to  learn  at  school ;  but  if  his  father  wished  him 
to  be  a  teacher,  there  remained  as  much  more  for  him  to  study 
in  future  years,  and  this  was  all  the  harder  because  it  was  not 
written  down  anywhere,  and  had  to  be  learned  from  the  teacher's 
words  alone.  These  were  called  the  Oral  Traditions,  consisting 
of  endless  sayings,  explanations  of  the  Bible,  and  of  the  six  hun- 
dred and  thirteen  commandments  which  the  rabbis  said  were  in 
the  first  five  books.     These  Traditions  had  been  heaped  up  by  the 


36  HIS  FATHER   THE   PHARISEE. 

great  rabbis  of  past  times,  who  had  spent  their  lives  in  commit- 
ting them  to  memory,  and  teaching  them  to  their  students,  and 
adding  more  if  they  were  able. 

It  was  said  by  the  teachers  that  they  were  so  complete  that  no 
question  could  be  put  about  any  subject  in  the  Bible  but  there 
was  an  answer  to  it.  They  gave  the  names  of  all  the  angels,  and 
of  the  magicians  of  Egypt,  and  said  that  the  beasts  in  Eden  could 
talk  man's  language.  Indeed,  these  Traditions  were  so  numerous 
and  minute,  that  a  rabbi  who  was  fond  of  fun  said  they  were  like 
a  mountain  hanging  by  a  hair.  Another  said  that  if  a  man  knew 
the  Law  of  Moses  and  all  their  rules,  and  set  himself  to  keep 
them,  he  would  have  no  time  for  anything  else  by  day  or  night, 
not  even  to  eat  and  sleep. 

If  Paul  had  mastered  his  Bible  by  his  tenth  birthday,  he  was 
thus  only  laying  the  foundation  for  the  huge  structure  of  learning 
which  he  would  have  to  build  upon  it  year  after  year,  if  he  wished 
to  be  a  rabbi  at  Jerusalem,  as  his  father  intended.  And  this  mass 
of  difficult  rules  pressed  hard  upon  the  common  people,  for  there 
was  a  council  or  law  court  connected  with  every  synagogue,  where 
the  old  men  were  the  judges,  with  power  from  the  great  Sanhedrim 
at  Jerusalem  to  try  men  and  punish  them  for  not  keeping  the  laws 
and  rules  of  their  religion.  And  you  will  remember  that  Jesus 
recognized  the  laws  of  Moses,  but  set  his  face  against  the  Tradi- 
tions, saying  He  had  come  to  set  the  people  free,  for  they  were 
only  rules  made  by  men  which  they  called  laws  of  God.  But  Paul 
was  told,  and  believed,  that  if  a  tradition  seemed  to  contradict 
the  Bible,  the  tradition  was  to  be  accepted  rather  than  the  Bible. 

And  so  he  went  on  grind,  grinding  at  the  Law,  the  Prophets, 
and  the  Writings  from  day  to  day,  week  to  week,  and  month  to 
month ;  and  as  he  was  a  clever  scholar,  he  would  soon  reach  the 
Traditions,  and  begin  his  vain  attempt  to  eat  up  the  mountain 
that  hung  by  a  hair  of  foolish  stories  and  idle  speculations. 


His   Father  the   Pharisee. 

TARSUS  :    AGED  10-15. 

BY  this  time,  Jesus,  the  divine  boy  in  the  glen  of  Galilee,  had 
been  to  the  golden  temple  at  Jerusalem,  and  had  heard  the 
rabbis  speaking  amid  the  coloured  marble  pillars  of  which  the  boy 
Paul  dreamed  with  awe  and  admiration  ;  and  His  pure  soul  had 
been  filled  with  doubt,  which  caused  Him  to  ask  questions  that 
remained  unanswered.     The  sayings  of  these  men  were  not  to 


HIS  FATHER   THE   PHARISEE.  37 

Him  the  word  of  God.  He  too  had  been  to  school,  and  had  now 
begun  to  learn  the  hard  trade  of  a  carpenter ;  but  His  growth  in 
wisdom  was  not  in  the  learning  of  men.  Paul  toiled  on,  storing 
up  line  upon  line,  precept  upon  precept,  of  what  he  would  one 
day  cast  away  ;  but  Jesus  thought,  worked,  and  grew  in  the  wisdom 
of  His  Father  in  heaven. 

In  Tarsus,  boys  grew  up  quickly  to  manhood,  so  that  when  Paul 
was  eleven  years  of  age  he  was  quite  a  lad.  His  studies  were  hard, 
but  his  father  made  it  harder  still ;  for  he  thought  it  right  to  carry 
out  in  daily  life  not  only  the  laws  of  Moses,  but  as  many  of  the 
rules  and  traditions  of  the  rabbis  as  he  could,  and  taught  his  son 
to  do  the  same,  for  he  intended  him  to  be  a  strict  Pharisee  like 
himself.  To  be  a  Pharisee  meant  that  Paul  would  belong  to  one 
of  the  great  sects  of  Sadducees  and  Pharisees  into  which  the 
religious  Jews  were  divided.  The  Sadducees  were  the  rich  upper 
classes — what  we  call  the  aristocracy.  They  were  the  courtiers, 
officers,  diplomatists,  chief  priests,  statesmen,  who  held  the  high 
offices  in  the  nation.  They  believed  in  the  Bible  and  the  laws  of 
Moses,  but  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  Oral  Traditions  of 
the  rabbis,  and  did  not  believe  in  heaven,  or  angels,  or  a  life  after 
death.  The  Pharisees,  however,  believed  in  these  things,  and 
were  men  of  the  people,  and  included  most  of  the  poor  rabbis, 
scribes,  lawyers,  and  teachers.  They  said  the  Bible  was  the  word 
of  God,  and  the  Oral  Traditions  were  equally  God's  words,  because 
they  flowed  from  the  Bible,  and  were  its  natural  application  to 
everyday  life.  They  were  thus  always  arguing  and  quarrelling 
with  the  Sadducees,  saying  they  were  very  wicked  men,  and  be- 
lieving that  they  themselves  were  very  good.  But  there  were 
others  who  thought  that  Pharisees  and  Sadducees  were  alike  bad, 
although  the  teaching  of  the  Pharisees  was  the  better  of  the  two. 
And  Paul's  father  would  tell  him  that  when  he  grew  up  he  must 
obey  the  whole  Law  and  the  Traditions,  and  put  down  the  bad 
teaching  of  the  rich  and  powerful  Sadducees. 

But  there  were  very  many  who  were  neither  Pharisees  nor 
Sadducees — common  people,  who  worked,  toiled,  kept  the  festivals, 
and  went  to  synagogue  and  heard  what  was  said,  and  who  were 
preached  at,  scolded,  punished,  and  went  their  own  way,  and  were 
called  by  the  proud,  self-righteous  Pharisees  "the  cursed  people, 
who  know  not  the  law."  But  they  had  their  own  thoughts,  which 
they  kept  to  themselves,  until  One  should  arise  who  would  speak 
for  them.  They  were  not  much  concerned  about  being  called 
names,  so  long  as  they  were  not  taxed  too  heavily  by  the  priests 
— who  took  tithes  of  their  corn  and  wine — and  were  not  brought 
up  before  the  synagogue  court  for  punishment. 


38  HIS  sister's  marriage. 

And  Paul  thought  of  these  common  people  with  shrinkir.g  and 
dislike,  for  his  father  told  him  that  they  were  daily  doing  wrong 
in  a  way  for  which  they  rightly  deserved  to  be  punished,  although 
we  would  not  think  so.  Walking  a  mile,  or  carrying  a  stick,  or 
lighting  a  fire  on  Sunday  was  counted  a  great  offence  by  Paul 
and  his  father.  To  eat  an  egg  which  a  hen  had  laid  on  that  day 
was  said  by  some  rabbis  to  be  wrong,  while  others  said  it  was  right. 
They  even  argued  hotly  about  how  many  angels  could  stand  on  the 
point  of  a  needle  at  one  time.  And  the  common  people,  who  had 
to  plough  and  sow,  and  hammer  and  hew,  thought  that  the  rabbis 
might  do  something  more  useful  than  spend  days  in  arguing  over 
trifles  about  which  common-sense  men  did  not  trouble  their  minds. 
And  you  and  I  think  so  too. 


His  Sister's  Marriage. 

TARSUS:    AGED    10-15. 

THERE  were  many  times  of  happy  family  rejoicing  in  the  Jews' 
quarter  of  Tarsus,  when  houses  were  lit  up  with  candles, 
rooms  and  doors  decked  with  flowers  and  green  leaves,  and 
friends  invited  in  to  share  the  joy.  The  birth  of  a  little  child 
was  one  of  these,  and  they  rejoiced  more  over  the  birth  of  a  boy 
than  of  a  girl,  which  was  strange  among  a  people  whose  laws 
were  so  wise.  Another  family  party  was  given,  with  more  flowers, 
and  lights,  and  a  solemn  ceremony,  when  the  little  one  received 
a  name.  If  it  was  a  boy,  there  was  greater  rejoicing  than  ever, 
when,  at  the  age  of  twelve,  he  had  a  phylactery  containing 
Hebrew  words  from  the  Bible  tied  with  strips  of  black  parch- 
ment upon  his  left  arm,  because  it  was  nearest  to  his  heart.  But 
we  do  not  read  of  little  girls  being  so  treated.  Whether  they 
were  thought  good  enough  without  this,  or  that  they  did  not 
deserve  it,  we  are  not  told,  but  we  know  that  somehow  or  other 
the  girls  turned  out  to  be  quite  as  good  as,  and  often  better  than, 
the  boys,  when  they  grew  up. 

When  a  girl  was  betrothed  to  be  married,  and  the  agreement 
written  out  and  signed,  there  was  again  a  night  of  rejoicing,  and 
Paul  joined  in  these  festivities  when  his  sister  was  betrothed. 
Greater  rejoicings  followed  when  her  wedding  came.  Notice  was 
given  in  the  synagogue  weeks  beforehand,  and  days  were  spent  in 
inviting  the  guests  to  her  wedding,  which,  by  the  little  rules  of 
the  rabbis,  had  to  be  on  a  Wednesday,  after  the  red  sun  had  gone 


fiis  sister's  marriage.  8d 

down.  For  a  time  she  sat  in  her  father's  house,  dressed  as  a 
bride  in  white,  decked  with  sweet  flowers,  and  covered  from  head 
to  foot  with  a  thick  veil,  through  wliich  neither  her  eyes  nor 
red  cheeks  could  be  seen,  waiting  amid  a  throng  of  guests,  all  in 
holiday  clothes,  with  her  maidens  around  her,  expecting  the  coming 
of  the  bridegroom  ;  for  the  chief  part  of  the  ceremony  was  taking 
home  the  bride  to  the  bridegroom's  house  in  the  evening. 

A  loud  noise  of  singing,  shouting,  dancing,  and  of  clashing 
cymbals  and  clicking  castanets,  by  the  bridegroom's  friends,  told 
her  that  he  and  his  companions  were  coming.  He  too  was  dressed 
in  his  gayest  clothing,  perfumed  with  scent,  his  long  hair  curled, 
crowned  with  flowers  and  fragrant  with  oil.  With  much  cere- 
mony he  went  into  the  house,  to  lead  out  the  bride,  and  help  her 
OR  to  an  ass,  on  which  she  was  to  ride  through  the  narrow  streets. 
The  wedding  guests  followed  ;  and  surrounded  by  youths  bearing 
torches  and  lanterns,  with  dancing,  shouting,  and  singing,  she  rode 
through  the  starlit  streets  towards  her  husband's  house.  On  the 
way  she  was  met  by  a  company  of  gaily-dressed,  flower-decked 
girls  bearing  lanterns  on  thin  poles,  who  joined  the  procession, 
singing  loudly  the  praises  of  the  bride  and  bridegroom  in  words 
of  their  own  making,  telling  of  the  happiness  of  the  marriage. 
On  reaching  the  bridegroom's  house  he  lifted  her  down  from  the 
ass,  and  his  companions  carried  her  into  the  house,  lest  she  should 
stumble  on  the  threshold,  which  all  were  agreed  would  be  a  sad 
calamity.  The  guests  followed,  and  they  all  sat  down  to  the  richest 
and  most  joyful  feast  which  they  could  provide,  called  the  marriage 
supper,  at  which  the  bride  and  bridegroom  sat  side  by  side,  her 
eyes  still  hidden  by  her  thick  veil,  for  he  must  not  yet  see  her 
charming  face. 

When  the  supper  ended,  parched  corn  was  scattered  over 
the  guests,  and  over  the  bride  and  bridegroom  as  they  retired 
from  the  room — she  still  wearing  her  white  veil,  for  it  was  not 
until  they  were  quite  alone  that  he  was  allowed  to  see  her  face. 
Then  he  was  expected  to  lift  the  veil,  and  shout  loud  exclama- 
tions of  surprise  and  delight  at  her  great  beauty,  so  that  his 
companions  in  the  next  room  might  hear  the  bridegroom's  joyful 
voice,  and  rejoice  also.  And  while  that  ended  the  wedding  day, 
feasting  and  rejoicing  amongst  their  friends  were  kept  up  for 
at  least  a  week,  as  a  sign  that  all  their  relations  were  delighted 
with  the  marriage,  and  wished  the  young  couple  much  happiness 
in  their  new  home.  And  thus  Paul  would  see  his  sister  married 
to  her  youthful  husband. 


40  THE   JOYFUL  PASSOVER   SUPPEB. 

The  Joyful   Passover  Supper. 

TARSUS:    AGED   10-15. 

BESIDES  times  of  feasting  and  rejoicing  at  home,  and  of  special 
services  in  the  little  synagogue,  there  were  three  great  festi- 
vals kept  by  the  Jews  of  Tarsus  that  lasted  each  for  a  week,  and 
which  they  kept  as  holidays.  It  was  the  law  of  Moses  that  as 
many  as  could  do  so  should  then  go  to  Jerusalem  and  keep  these 
festivals  in  the  golden  temple  itself;  and  while  large  numbers 
went  from  distant  lands,  there  were  many  who  had  to  stay  at 
home  with  the  children. 

One  of  these  was  the  spring  festival  of  the  Passover,  in  memory 
of  their  coming  out  of  Egypt ;  and  the  chief  thing  was  the  joyful 
Passover  supper,  in  which  Paul  was  now  old  enough  to  take  part. 
He  saw  his  mother  busy  on  that  day  cleaning  and  sweeping  in 
every  corner,  and  burning  every  piece  of  bread  she  could  find,  so 
that  her  house  should  be  bright,  clean,  and  pure  when  the  sun 
went  down,  without  even  a  crumb  of  leavened  bread  in  it.  He 
saw  her  baking  the  Passover  cakes  of  finest  wheat  flour  without 
leaven,  and  preparing  the  bitter  herbs,  endive  and  lettuce,  the 
sauce  of  figs,  dates,  almonds,  and  spice  pounded  into  a  paste  with 
vinegar,  the  roasted  lamb,  the  cups  of  red  raisin  wine,  and  the 
white  candles. 

In  the  afternoon  the  children  were  dressed  in  their  best 
clothes,  and  went  with  their  father  and  mother  to  the  synagogue, 
to  hear  again  the  familiar  story  of  that  night  in  Egypt  when  the 
angel  of  death  passed  over  the  land.  And  when  they  came  home, 
Paul  saw  his  father  take  a  lighted  candle  from  his  mother's  hand, 
and  go  through  the  house,  searching  in  every  part  to  see  that  no 
leavened  bread  was  there,  and  gathering  up  a  few  crumbs,  and 
burning  them  in  the  fire,  which  she  had  left  expressly  for  him  to 
find.  For  the  law  said  their  house  would  not  be  pure  if  any 
crumbs  were  left. 

When  the  first  star  appeared,  the  outer  door  was  shut,  and 
they  went  into  the  lighted  room  where  the  supper  was  laid ;  and 
as  they  had  not  tasted  food  since  noon,  they  were  very  hungry. 
They  all  washed  their  hands,  and  his  father  reclined  upon  a  couch 
at  the  head  of  the  table,  of  the  best  cushions  which  his  mother 
had  in  the  house,  saying  that  the  first  Passover  supper  had  been 
eaten  in  anxiety  and  readiness  for  a  journey,  but  they  were  now 
to  eat  it  joyfully  and  at  their  ease.  Then  each  one  tasted  the 
raisin  wine,  over  which  his  father  had  asked  the  usual  blessing. 


PILGRIMS    FOR    JERUSALEM.  41 

They  ate  of  bitter  herbs  and  vinegar  sauce,  to  remind  them  once 
more  of  the  bitter  bondage  of  Egypt ;  and  next  of  the  unleavened 
cakes ;  and  then  the  roast  lamb  was  brought  steaming  from  the  fire 
and  put  in  front  of  his  father.  But  before  touching  it,  he  poured 
out  a  second  cup  of  red  wine ;  and  if  Paul  was  the  youngest 
child,  he  asked  what  it  all  meant ;  and  his  father  replied  that  it 
was  a  joyful  supper  to  commemorate  their  deliverance  from  Egypt. 
And  standing  up,  they  sang  a  glad  psalm  with  these  words  in  it : — 

When  Israel  went  out  of  Egypt, 
From  a  people  of  a  strange  language, 
The  Red  Sea  saw  it,  and  fled : 
The  Jordan  was  driven  back. 

Then  they  ate  the  hot  roast  lamb  with  their  fingers,  and  more 
cakes  of  bread,  and  drank  more  raisin  wine,  and  sang  more  psalms, 
till  they  came  to  fruits  and  sweets  and  anything  else  they  pleased ; 
so  that  if  they  were  hungry  at  first,  they  made  up  for  it  by  having 
a  really  good  feast. 

Paul  had  always  pleasant  memories  connected  with  this  supper, 
for  the  children  were  told  to  be  kind  to  the  poor,  the  widows,  and 
the  fatherless,  and  poor  Jews  who  could  not  afford  a  supper  of 
their  own  were  invited  in  to  eat  it  with  them.  In  later  times 
they  were  taught  to  believe  that  angels  took  a  great  interest  in 
it,  hovering  over  the  house  with  white  wings,  and  standing  behind 
the  door,  and  that  the  spirit  of  the  old  prophet  Elijah  came 
down  the  street.  And  the  father  poured  out  another  cup  of  wine 
for  him,  calling  it  Elijah's  cup,  and  cheerily  bade  the  children  open 
the  street  door  and  let  him  in,  just  as  other  little  children  let  in 
the  New  Year.  But  though  they  could  see  no  one  as  they  gazed 
out  into  the  moonlight,  or  feel  anything  but  a  gust  of  night  wind, 
and  although  the  wine  in  the  cup  grew  no  less  until  their  father 
drank  it  up,  yet  the  little  ones  felt  amid  their  lights  and  joy  and 
feasting  that  they  had  done  a  kind  thing.  And  if  it  did  no  good 
to  the  old  prophet  who  was  so  long  dead,  it  did  some  good  to  the 
little  angels  with  red  cheeks  and  dark  eyes  who  opened  the  door 
for  him. 


Pilgrims  for  Jerusalem. 

TARSUS  :   AGED  10-15. 

THE  week  of  the  Passover  festival  was  in  the  sunny  month 
of  April,  when  flowers  covered  the  ground,  and  the  skies 
were  a  sheet  of  blue.     The  fields  in  the  plain  of  Tarsus  were  full 


42  PILGRIMS    FOR   JERUSALEM. 

of  wheat  and  barley  swinging  in  the  wind,  the  red  wild  rose  and 
yellow  honeysuckle  scented  the  thickets,  and  the  small  streams 
were  hedged  with  crimson  oleanders,  for  the  white  snows  of  winter 
had  faded  from  the  lower  hills. 

There  was  another  happy  feast  in  which  the  children  took  a 
part — the  festival  of  Tabernacles  in  hot  October,  when  the  purple 
grapes  hung  in  ripe  clusters  in  the  sunny  vineyards.  Then  they 
went  into  the  country  with  their  fathers  and  mothers  to  cut  down 
branches  of  the  broad-leaved  palm,  the  silvery  olive,  grey  willow, 
and  dark-green  myrtle  and  fir,  and  carry  them  home  and  build 
bowers  on  the  broad  house  roofs,  and  in  the  open  courtyards  and 
gardens  behind.  When  they  had  finished  their  leafy  house,  they 
covered  the  floor  with  mats  of  woven  straw  and  rugs  of  blue 
and  red,  and  hung  red  peaches,  yellow  citrons,  purple  grapes, 
apples,  olives,  and  other  fruits  among  the  branches,  and  the  bower 
was  ready  to  live  in.  Their  streets,  too,  were  lined  with  branches 
of  trees,  and  gay  witli  ropes  of  flowers  on  the  walls,  and  from 
house  to  house  across,  until  they  looked  like  green  forest  lanes. 
Whatever  the  old  people  might  think  of  it,  the  children  rejoiced 
when  the  day  came ;  and  at  the  setting  of  the  sun  Paul's  father 
and  mother  and  all  their  children  left  the  house,  and  went  into  the 
bower  which  they  had  built,  there  to  live  for  a  week  at  least,  and 
longer  if  they  liked  :  for  the  days  were  hot  and  burning,  and  the 
nights  bright  with  moonlight. 

And  Paul  was  told  that  it  was  to  keep  them  in  mind  of  the 
time  so  long  ago,  when,  after  leaving  Egypt,  the  Jews  lived  for 
years  in  tents  as  they  wandered  among  the  dark  yellow  sands 
and  bare  rocks  of  the  desert.  And  so  they  spent  a  week  in  these 
green  tents,  with  the  sunshine  playing  among  the  broad  leaves 
by  day,  and  the  stars  threading  through  them  and  the  full  moon 
flashing  in  at  the  open  door  by  night ;  a  happy  time  for  the 
children. 

The  third  great  festival  was  the  festival  of  First-fruits,  in 
sunny  June,  when  the  first  sheaves  of  the  harvest  of  wheat,  corn, 
millet,  and  barley  were  cut. 

Paul  was  still  too  young  to  go  with  his  father  to  Jerusalem, 
for  it  was  about  four  hundred  miles  away;  but  a  band  of  Jews 
went  from  Tarsus  to  every  great  festival,  and  his  father  would 
not  think  he  had  done  right  if  he  did  not  go  to  the  golden  temple 
at  least  once  in  each  year.  Tarsus  was  on  the  highroad  to  Jeru- 
salem from  the  cou^itries  and  cities  beyond  the  Taurus  moun- 
tains, and  Paul  was  familiar  with  the  sight  of  hundreds  of  Jew 
pilgrims  resting  there ;  for  the  Jews  were  always  kind  to  Jews, 
and  gave  these  pilgrims  lodging  in  the  towns  by  the  way. 


PILGRIMS    FOR   JERUSALEM.  48 

For  weeks  before  a  great  festival  the  Tarsus  pilgrims  prepared 
for  the  road.  When  Paul's  father  went,  his  mother  got  ready  his 
very  best  clothes  and  sandals,  and  tied  them  up,  to  be  put  on  only 
when  he  got  close  to  Jerusalem.  His  father  went  to  the  woods, 
and  cut  a  thick  stick  as  tall  as  himself,  and  mended  the  harness  of 
his  ass,  and  had  fresh  wool  tassels  of  red,  yellow,  and  green  made 
to  hang  at  its  neck  and  in  a  small  fringe  over  its  nose.  The 
pilgrims  started  in  the  early  morning,  and  his  mother  and  he  would 
go  with  them  to  the  outside  of  the  city.  As  they  marched  across 
the  river  bridge  and  along  the  road  towards  Adana,  he  saw  them 
waving  green  palm  branches  above  their  heads,  and  heard  them 
singing  the  joyful  psalms  with  which  they  cheered  the  many 
weary  days  of  their  long  journey  to  their  beloved  Jerusalem. 

After  months  of  absence  his  father  came  back  again,  telling 
them  such  tales  of  the  magnificence  of  Jerusalem,  of  the  splen- 
dour of  the  golden  temple,  of  the  thousands  and  thousands  of 
Jews  from  all  countries  who  were  there,  that  Paul  thought  it 
must  be  like  a  vision  of  heaven.  If  his  father  had  been  to  the 
festival  of  Tabernacles,  he  would  tell  him  of  the  morning  when 
the  white-robed  priests  blew  upon  their  silver  trumpets,  and  the 
people  came  thronging  together  to  see  a  chief  priest  go  down  a 
hundred  steps  cut  out  of  the  rock,  from  the  temple  gate  to  the 
brook  Kidron,  to  fill  a  golden  bowl  with  water  from  the  wonder- 
ful pool  of  Siloam,  and  carry  it  up  again ;  while  the  people,  on 
every  hill  and  rock,  sang  together  and  waved  green  branches  that 
looked  like  a  forest  moving  in  the  wind. 

If  he  had  been  to  the  festival  of  First-fruits,  he  would  tell 
of  the  singing  of  the  great  psalm  by  the  choir  of  white-robed 
Levites  and  singing  boys,  who  crowded  the  marble  steps,  and  sang 
when  a  great  brass  gong  was  beaten,  while  the  silent  worshippers 
listened  in  a  thick  mass  below.  And  Paul  would  listen  until  his 
mind  was  filled  with  dreams  and  visions  of  glory,  such  as  he  could 
hardly  hope  to  see  ;  and  his  father  would  tell  him  that  he  would 
soon  be  old  enough  to  go  with  him  and  see  the  holy  city  and 
temple,  for  the  first  sight  of  it  was  so  lovely  that  whoever  had  not 
seen  it  did  not  know  what  joy  was.  And  thus  the  Jews  of  Tarsus 
taught  their  children ;  and  with  sweet  faith  they  believed  so 
earnestly,  that  when  their  eyes  came  to  see  what  they  had  so  long 
pictured,  they  shouted  with  joy  that  Jerusalem  and  the  golden 
temple  were  lovelier  than  in  their  richest  dreams  they  had  ever 
thought  they  could  be. 


44  IDOLS,   TEMPLES,    AND    STRANGE    LEARNINa 

Idols,  Temples,  and   Strange   Learning. 

TARSUS  :    AGED  10-15. 

ALTHOUGH  Paul  was  a  clever  boy,  he  did  not  yet  think  for 
^  himself.  He  was  encouraged  to  ask  questions  by  his  school- 
master, but  it  was  only  to  learn  what  others  thought,  and  not  that 
he  might  make  up  his  mind  and  have  opinions  of  his  own.  There 
were  two  rules  laid  down  for  him  in  all  his  learning :  he  must 
commit  to  memory  all  that  his  master  gave  him  to  learn,  and 
he  must  believe  all  that  he  learned.  And  thus  while  he  learned 
and  believed  much  that  was  good  and  right,  he  also  believed  much 
that  was  wrong  and  foolish.  He  heard  that  God  told  Moses 
every  word  that  was  written  in  the  five  books  of  the  Law,  even  to 
the  description  of  his  own  death,  and  that  Moses  wrote  it  all  down. 
Common-sense  said  this  could  not  be  true,  and  conscience  said  it 
could  not  be  right ;  but  he  was  taught  that  to  believe  when  he  had 
doubts  was  more  to  be  praised  than  to  believe  when  he  had  none. 

His  teacher  said  that  all  the  books  of  the  Bible  were  the  words 
of  God,  and  that  it  was  his  duty  to  love  and  obey ;  which  was 
partly  right  and  partly  wrong,  and  thus  good  and  bad  teaching 
were  mingled.  He  was  also  told  that  amid  the  smoke  and  flames 
of  Mount  Sinai  God  gave  Moses  many  oral  traditions,  and  that 
Moses  told  them  to  some  one  else,  who  told  them  to  some  one  else, 
until  they  came  down  to  the  rabbis  of  Paul's  day  as  the  words  of 
God.  His  teacher  even  said  that  if  a  tradition  seemed  to  contra- 
dict the  Bible,  the  tradition  was  to  be  believed,  and  that  to  teach 
anything  that  was  contrary  to  these  Traditions  was  very  wrong, 
and  deserving  of  severe  punishment.  And  so  when,  some  years 
later,  Jesus  told  the  Pharisees  that  they  made  the  Bible  of  none 
effect  by  their  Traditions,  the  people  knew  that  what  He  said 
wars  true. 

But  the  boy  Paul  was  not  encouraged  to  think  for  himself, 
and  so  he  continued  to  learn  and  believe  all  the  countless  little 
rules  that  were  laid  down  for  everyday  life,  and  all  the  strange 
and  foolish  stories  that  had  been  woven  into  the  history  of  his 
people  by  men  of  old  time,  who  wished  to  make  it  seem  as 
wonderful  as  they  could.  His  daily  task  was  to  learn  and  be- 
lieve, believe  and  learn,  and  not  judge  for  himself,  until  it  came 
about  that  however  wonderful,  foolish,  wrong,  or  oppressive  the 
tradition  might  be,  he  believed  it,  and  would  tell  others  to  do 
the  same. 

He  was  now  old  enough  to  go  about  Tarsus  by  himself,  and 


THE    RIVER    AND    WHITE    FALL.  45 

often  looked  in  at  the  gates  opening  into  the  thick  groves  of  green 
trees  which  surrounded  the  splendid  temples  built  to  Venus,  Sar- 
danapalus,  and  Semiramis ;  and  he  may  have  had  glimpses  of 
broad  white  steps  leading  up  to  rows  of  great  fluted  pillars  that 
supported  the  roof  of  the  outer  porch.  He  saw  the  white-robed 
priests  who  lived  there,  moving  along  the  paths  through  the  trees 
and  about  the  broad  steps,  and  watched  the  townspeople,  rich  and 
poor,  from  ail  parts,  who  crowded  into  those  temple  groves  on 
festival  days,  paying  to  get  in.  He  hated  and  despised  them  with 
u  boy's  intense  anger  ;  for  inside  those  splendid  buildings  there  was 
a  graven  image  of  a  man  or  woman,  which  they  called  the  figure 
of  a  god  or  a  goddess,  but  which  he  called  a  hateful  idol.  The 
Law  of  Moses  said  that  whoever  made  such  things  should  be 
punished,  and  all  who  worshipped  them  should  be  slain.  He 
believed  that,  in  the  great  city  of  thousands  of  people  of  many 
nations,  the  Jews  in  their  small  quarter  were  the  only  true 
worshippers,  and  that  all  the  rest  were  idolaters,  who  should 
have  their  temples  destroyed,  their  groves  cut  down,  their  images 
hewn  to  pieces,  and  be  themselves  put  to  death ;  but,  of  course, 
he  was  only  a  boy  yet. 

On  other  days  he  passed  the  fine  buildings  enclosed  in  gardens 
with  shaded  walks — the  colleges  or  schools  of  Tarsus,  where  history, 
grammar,  poetry,  music,  oratory,  astronomy,  medicine,  philosophy 
were  taught,  and  for  which  they  were  famous  throughout  the  whole 
Roman  Empire.  With  the  easy  confidence  of  a  boy,  he  thought 
that  as  they  had  not  the  knowledge  of  God,  their  learning  was 
only  useless  speculation  and  wicked  knowledge.  For  he  had  been 
taught  that  the  learning  of  foreigners,  their  books  and  their  say- 
ings, were  things  to  be  avoided,  as  they  would  lead  his  mind  away 
from  the  study  of  the  Bible  and  the  Traditions.  And  yet  we  find 
that  when  he  grew  up  he  knew  a  good  deal  about  Greek  learning ; 
but  he  would  gain  that  in  his  later  years,  and  not  when  a  school- 
boy. For  little  boys  are  apt  to  count  themselves  very  wise,  and 
think  that  they  see  a  great  distance,  when  they  are  really  only 
beginning  to  look  about  them  as  they  climb  the  hill. 


A 


The   River  and  White   Fall. 

TARSUS  :    AGED  10-15. 

LITTLE   way    up   were   the   Falls   of   Cydnus.     There   the 
swift-flowing  river  spreads  out  into  a  clear  lake,  narrowing 


46  THE  RIVER   AND  WHITE   FALL. 

gradually  as  it  nears  a  cliff  of  grey  rock,  over  which  it  pours  in 
a  crystal  flood,  split  by  jutting  crags  as  it  flings  down  whirls  of 
white  foam  and  sheets  of  rain  upon  the  black  rocks  below.  Trees 
lean  out  from  the  banks  on  each  side  of  this  sparkling  fall,  and 
some  growing  upon  the  rocky  islets  in  the  midst  of  the  tossing 
stream  trail  their  branches  in  the  water  when  the  river  is  full. 

This  waterfall  may  have  changed  since  Paul  stood  upon  the 
bank,  to  look  with  a  boy's  wonder  and  delight  at  the  tumbling 
foam,  but  the  scene  above  is  unchanged.  The  red  banks  of  the 
upper  stream  are  still  clothed  with  bowery  trees,  the  ragged  edges 
green  with  drooping  ferns,  the  rocks  cushioned  with  mosses  of 
bronze  and  brown,  and  stained  with  lichens  of  scarlet  and  deep 
yellow.  Far  in  the  distance  the  same  outline  of  purple  hills 
meets  the  eye,  rising  ever  higher  towards  the  ragged  peaks  of 
snow  that  sparkle  in  the  sunshine  against  the  blue  skies.  A 
waterfall  has  a  fascination  for  all  boys,  and  we  can  picture  Paul 
and  his  companions  pausing  in  their  ramble  by  the  river  to  stand 
gazing  there — thinking  little,  feeling  little,  but  somehow  satisfied, 
and  deeply  enjoying  the  constant  shoot  and  plunge  and  glitter  of 
the  water. 

There  were  plenty  of  fish  in  the  river,  and  as  they  were  a 
favourite  dish  in  his  mother's  house,  he  would  spend  many  an 
hour  dropping  his  hook  into  the  clear  pools,  or  casting  it  out 
into  the  deeper  stream,  too  intent  to  notice  the  crimson-backed 
pelicans  standing  knee-deep  in  the  shallow  water,  fishing  too  for 
their  dinner,  and  with  more  success.  If  he  went  out  in  the  early 
morning,  he  would  hear  the  grey  lark  carolling,  while  the  golden- 
backed  hoopoes  strutted  up  and  down  upon  the  rocks  with  curious 
crowing  cries.  If  he  lingered  until  the  evening,  he  would  hear 
the  thrush  and  blackbird  calling  from  the  crimson  pomegranates 
and  the  pink  flowering  oleanders,  until  the  dark-winged  nightin- 
gale tuned  her  voice  with  low,  gurgling  notes  in  the  lofty  pine  tree, 
soon  to  burst  into  a  song  that  would  arouse  more  of  these  wondrous 
singers,  when  for  hours  there  would  not  be  a  pause  of  silence. 

The  boy  knew  his  Bible,  and  we  can  think  of  him  walking 
home  under  a  canopy  of  throbbing  stars  such  as  we  never  see 
ill  England,  repeating  these  words  to  himself,  as  many  a  serious 
boy  has  done,  gazing  upwards  at  the  same  glittering  worlds, — 

When  I  consider  the  heavens,  the  work  of  Thine  hands, 
The  moon  and  the  stars,  which  Thou  hast  ordained ; 
What  is  man,  that  Thou  art  mindful  of  him  ? 
And  the  son  of  man,  that  Thou  didst  visit  him  ? 

And  so  his  boyish  days  glided  past,  spent  in  learning  at  school, 


A    SON    OF    THE    LAW.  47 

obeying  at  home,  wandering  about  the  city,  rambling  by  river 
and  field.  Seasons  came  and  went — winter,  with  its  white  robe 
and  chilling  breath;  summer,  with  sun  of  burnished  gold  and 
brooding,  quivering  heat ;  spring,  with  a  too  brief  carpet  of 
gleaming  grass  and  scarlet  flowers  ;  autumn,  with  yellow  leaves 
and  purple  fruitage.  The  years  were  moulding  the  boy  into  a 
youth,  and  bringing  him  ever  nearer  to  that  age  when  questions 
stir  the  heart  and  thoughts  rise  in  the  mind — the  age  of  thirteen, 
the  most  important  year  in  a  Jew's  life.  He  was  then  supposed 
to  step  out  of  childhood  into  manhood,  and  was  expected  to  put 
away  childish  things  and  think  as  a  man.  But  English  boys  are 
more  fortunate ;  for  while  we  expect  them  to  be  wise  and  sensible 
at  that  early  age,  we  also  like  them  to  be  merry  and  happy,  and 
not  perplexed  with  the  problems  of  life.  Deep  thoughts  and 
serious  responsibilities  will  come  in  due  time. 


A  Son  of  the  Law. 

TARSUS:    AGED  10-15. 

WHEN  a  boy  reached  thirteen,  his  parents  had  to  impress  upon 
him,  as  solemnly  as  they  could,  what  his  duty  w^as  in  regard 
to  all  that  he  had  been  learning.  They  told  him  that  he  now  knew 
the  Law  of  Moses,  and  must  obey  it,  and  that  he  could  be  punished 
in  the  synagogue  court  if  he  did  not  do  so  ;  for  he  was  about  to  be 
solemnly  named  a  "  Son  of  the  Law,"  when  he  would  have  to  think 
and  act  for  himself,  and  be  held  responsible  for  all  that  he  did. 
In  England  we  do  not  make  men  of  our  boys  quite  so  soon. 

It  was  indeed  a  proud  day  for  his  mother  when,  after  solemn 
examination,  Paul  was  declared  fit  to  have  the  phylacteries  bound 
upon  his  arm  and  brow  in  the  synacfogue,  as  a  sign  of  manhood. 
These  had  been  carefully  prepared.  Four  texts  of  Scripture  were 
written  in  Hebrew,  in  special  ink,  on  special  little  slips  of  parch- 
ment, rolled  up,  and  put  into  a  small  box  of  black  calf's  skin, 
to  which  were  attached  two  long  straps  of  skin  the  breadth  of 
your  finger. 

The  boy  stood  oui  before  the  people  in  the  dimly -lit  synagogue, 
while  a  grey-haired  official  placed  the  little  black  box  upon  his 
naked  left  arm  near  his  heart,  and  carefully  twined  the  two  thongs 
seven  times  round  his  arm,  coming  gradually  down  to  his  hand, 
round  which  he  twined  them  three  times,  until  they  came  down 
to  his  middle  finger,  where  they  were  tied  in  a  knot.     And  he 


48  A    SON    OF   THE   LAW. 

was  told  that  he  must  never  enter  the  synagogue  without  binding 
this  box  on  his  arm,  and  that  if  he  lived  a  good  life  he  would  one 
day  be  allowed  to  bind  a  phylactery  upon  his  brow  also,  as  he  saw 
his  father  do.  The  address  of  advice,  warning,  and  encouragement 
from  his  old  friend  the  rabbi  would  move  him  deeply  as  he 
listened.  And  as  his  mother,  with  her  face  close  to  the  women's 
screen,  saw  her  boy,  still  so  young,  being  declared  a  man  before 
the  Law,  she  sighed  and  wept,  for  she  knew  that  he  could  never 
again  sit  with  her  behind  that  screen,  or  walk  with  her  to  the 
synagogue. 

No  doubt  you  wonder  what  mysterious  words  were  written  in 
old  Hebrew  and  put  into  the  little  box.  There  were  thirty  verses, 
and  this  is  a  part :  ''It  shall  be  for  a  sign  unto  thee  upon  thine 
hand,  and  between  thine  eyes,  that  the  law  of  the  Lord  may  be 
in  thy  mouth.  Thou  shalt  diligently  keep  the  commandments  of 
God,  and  His  laws." 

If  that  solemn  day  was  also  Paul's  birthday,  there  would  be  a 
joyful  birthday  supper,  at  which  his  father  would  put  his  hand  on 
his  head  and  bless  him,  and  his  dark-eyed  mother  would  kiss  him, 
with  a  sweeter  prayer  in  her  heart  than  any  to  be  found  in  the 
books  of  the  synagogue,  and  his  brothers  and  sisters  would  all  feel 
proud  of  him. 

And  thus  he  passed  from  boyhood  into  manhood  before  the 
Law,  his  mind  stored  with  all  the  teaching  that  a  strict  Pharisee 
could  give  his  son,  and  his  young  heart  deeply  impressed  with  the 
duty  of  obeying  all  that  he  had  learned,  of  which  he  was  constantly 
reminded  by  the  little  black  box  which  had  been  so  solemnly  given 
to  him,  to  be  prized  all  through  life  as  one  of  his  greatest  treasures. 

About  this  time  he  ceased  to  be  a  schoolboy,  and  became  a 
student ;  for  he  did  not  give  up  his  studies,  but  only  changed  his 
way  of  studying.  He  no  longer  went  to  the  synagogue  school, 
to  sit  among  children — a  son  of  the  law  was  too  big  for  that — 
but  he  went  on  learning  lessons  by  himself,  such  as  would  suit  a 
lad  who  was  to  be  a  teacher.  Boys  look  forward  to  the  day  when 
they  will  have  done  with  school  and  lessons,  for  they  think  studies 
will  then  cease ;  and  it  is  quite  true  that  they  sometimes  do,  but 
that  is  only  with  lazy  ones,  or  boys  who  have  to  work  so  hard  that 
they  have  no  time  for  study,  and  both  of  these  are  to  be  pitied.  He 
is  happiest  and  wisest  whose  only  difference  is  that  he  goes  on  with 
his  studies  out  of  love  of  knowledge,  instead  of  at  the  command  of 
the  master ;  and  these  boys  we  praise,  for  they  will  make  good  men. 
But  there  are  also  boys  whose  profession  will  connect  them  with 
books  all  their  lives,  and  they  pass  on  from  school  to  coUegi 
proud  step — and  Paul  would  be  one  of  these. 


THE    WEAVING    SHED.  49 

The  Weaving  Shed. 

TARSUS:    AGED   10-15. 

THE  Jewish  rabbis  said  that  every  boy  must  learn  a  trade, 
^  "  and  it  was  the  general  custom  that  he  should  learn  his  father's 
trade.  They  had  a  saying  that  the  man  who  did  not  teach  his 
son  a  trade  wished  him  to  be  a  thief,  for  whoever  did  not  work 
for  his  bread  ate  the  bread  of  some  one  else.  And  so  the  student 
who  wished  to  be  a  rabbi  must  learn  a  trade  to  live  by,  for  he 
was  not  allowed  to  live  by  teaching  religion.  And  some  people 
think  it  would  be  a  good  thing  if  there  were  the  same  rule  still. 

Weavers  and  tentmakers  were  common  in  Tarsus,  and  it  is 
likely  that  this  was  Paul's  father's  trade,  for  he  made  his  son  a 
weaver  and  tentmaker.  The  strong  cloth  of  Tarsus  was  known 
far  and  wide,  for  it  was  made  from  the  hair  of  the  long-haired 
goats  that  fed  among  the  highlands  of  Cilicia,  and  was  called 
cilicium.  Owing  to  its  hardness  it  was  almost  waterproof,  and 
was  used  for  making  ships'  sails,  corn  and  wool  sacks,  and  rough 
outer  clothing  for  sailors  and  fishermen;  but  it  was  chiefly  used 
for  making  strong,  wide  tent-covers. 

If  Paul's  father  was  a  tentmaker,  his  workshop  would  be  an 
open  shed,  with  sticks,  strings,  ropes,  and  stone  weights  hanging 
at  one  end  as  a  weaving  loom,  from  which  it  would  surprise  any 
one  but  a  Tarsus  weaver  to  see  a  roll  of  firmly-knit  haircloth 
slowly  growing.  Bundles  of  goats'  hair,  black,  brown,  and  white, 
tied  with  hair  ropes,  would  be  heaped  up,  just  as  they  had  been 
bought  from  the  shepherds,  either  in  the  market-place,  or  more 
likely  by  wandering  among  their  tents  and  camps  in  the  hills. 

Several  times  a  year  Paul's  father  would  take  a  long  journey 
up  the  winding  rocky  paths  into  the  mountains  to  find  the  shep- 
herds, and  come  home  again  with  his  asses  laden  with  sacks  and 
bundles  of  hair  to  keep  his  tentmaking  going.  The  hair  had  then 
to  be  combed  and  put  in  order  for  spinning  into  thread,  and  some 
of  it  would  be  dyed  red,  brown,  yellow,  purple,  blue,  green,  so  as 
to  give  the  broad  stripes  of  colour  which  the  shepherds  love  to  see 
in  their  wide  tent-covers.  But  the  most  of  it  would  remain  in  its 
natural  colours  of  black,  brown,  grey,  and  white. 

In  another  part  of  the  workshop  would  be  heard  the  lively 
chatter  of  women,  as  they  stood  holding  a  bundle  of  hair,  spin- 
ning the  hanging  thread  with  deft  fingers,  and  blending  the  bright 
colours,  to  wind  it  upon  spindles  and  put  into  the  weaver's  shuttle. 
And  Paul  would  have  to  stand  with  the  women  and  learn  how 

(1,040)  4 


50  THE    WEAVING   SHED. 

to  spin  the  thread  ;  for  without  thread  for  his  shuttle  he  could  not 
weave,  and  in  years  to  come  he  would  have  to  do  everything  for 
himself. 

Spinning  was  easy  compared  with  weaving.  He  would  have 
to  spend  many  a  weary  day  under  the  shed,  while  the  sunshine 
was  bright  outside,  learning  how  to  put  the  web  upon  the  loom 
for  different  kinds  of  cloth,  and  fill  and  thread  the  shuttle,  and 
throw  it  from  one  side  and  catch  it  on  the  other  before  it  fell  to 
the  ground,  and  how  to  push  up  the  heavy  beam  of  wood,  and 
press  the  threads  close,  standing  all  the  while.  And  yet  weaving 
coarse  stuff  for  tents  and  sails  would  not  be  very  difficult  for  a 
boy  who  could  say  off  the  Books  of  Moses,  for  he  would  have  his 
father  beside  him  to  show  him  what  to  do,  until  he  could  weave  a 
web  from  end  to  end  himself. 

After  weaving  came  tentmaking — how,  from  a  roll  of  stiff 
haircloth,  to  shape  a  tent  such  as  a  man  would  care  to  buy  and 
live  in.  He  would  see  his  father  cutting  the  cloth  into  lengths 
and  sewing  them  together.  And  you  can  picture  the  boy,  with 
black  hair  and  sharp  grey  eyes,  sitting  on  the  floor  in  the  shed, 
a  large  bronze  needle  and  thick  thread  in  his  hand,  slowly  sewing 
the  edges  of  two  pieces  of  haircloth  together,  and  so  securing 
them  that  rain  could  not  get  through  nor  wind  tear  them  apart. 
Boys  generally  prick  their  fingers  and  get  angry  when  they  try  to 
sew,  and  Paul  would  not  be  without  these  little  troubles  to  teach 
him  to  be  careful. 

His  tents  were  not  high  and  white  like  those  we  are  accustomed 
to  see,  but  like  great  squares  of  striped  carpet,  with  broad  edges 
hanging  down  to  the  ground ;  and  they  were  not  to  be  reared  up 
with  one  pole  like  a  mast  in  the  middle,  but  to  be  thrown  like 
a  curtain  over  about  a  dozen  low  stakes  set  in  a  double  row,  so 
that  the  flaps  which  hung  down  might  be  fastened  close  to  the 
earth.  To  do  this,  strong  ropes  of  the  same  goats'  hair  tightly 
twisted  were  sewn  all  round  the  rim  of  the  tent  to  keep  the  edges 
from  tearing.  Loops  of  leather  were  cut  and  fixed  on  here  and 
there,  and  short  ropes  made  for  going  through  these  loops,  to  tie 
them  to  the  tent-pins  cut  from  trees  and  shaped  for  driving  in 
with  mallets.  For  the  tent  had  to  be  stretched  over  the  sticks 
so  tightly  that  the  rain  would  run  off  and  a  gale  of  wind  could 
not  blow  it  over. 

And  so  the  trade  of  a  tentmaker  meant  buying  the  goats* 
hair,  dyeing,  spinning,  weaving,  shaping,  rope-twisting,  hide-cutting, 
pole-making,  and  fastening  hooks  and  loops  on  these  poles  to  hang 
up  pots  and  pans,  clothing,  and  harness,  and  then  the  tent  was 
ready.     At  length  would  come  the  day  when  it  was  put  up  in 


TENTMAKING   AND   STUDYING.  61 

the  open  air,  looking  strong  and  new,  to  be  shown  off,  and  perhaps 
bought  by  an  Arab.  Some  were  coloured  in  broad  bands  of  bright 
red  and  blue,  yellow  and  brown ;  others  were  all  of  black  or  grey, 
the  commoner  kinds  of  tents,  that  grew  blacker  with  the  smoke 
and  soot  of  the  tent  fires.  And  you  may  be  sure  it  was  many  a 
day  before  Paul  could  say  that  from  first  to  last  he  could  make 
a  tent  as  good  and  as  strong  as  his  father  could. 


Tentmaking  and  Studying. 

TARSUS:    AGED    10-15. 

PAUL  was  a  clever  boy  at  school,  and  he  was  to  be  something 
more  than  a  tentmaker  :  he  was  to  be  a  teacher  of  the  law, 
and,  if  possible,  a  rabbi  of  Jerusalem.  In  England  a  rabbi  would 
be  called  a  professor  of  theology — one  who  learns  all  he  can  about 
God  and  the  Bible,  and  teaches  it  to  others.  But  Paul  had  yet 
much  to  learn.  After  many  years  he  would  indeed  become  a 
great  teacher,  but  of  quite  a  different  kind  from  what  his  father 
had  in  his  mind. 

You  may  wonder  why,  if  he  was  going  to  be  a  teacher,  he 
should  trouble  to  learn  a  trade ;  but  there  were  many  reasons,  and 
some  wise  ones.  Rabbis  were  not  allowed  to  take  money  for 
what  they  taught.  "  Use  not  the  law  as  a  spade  to  dig  with," 
said  one  to  his  students.  "  "Work  is  great ;  it  honours  God,"  said 
another.  "  Do  any  kind  of  work,"  said  another,  "  even  to  skin- 
ning a  horse  by  the  roadside ;  and  do  not  say  as  an  excuse,  I  am 
a  priest."  Some  were  coopers,  bakers,  tailors,  carpenters,  shoe- 
makers, builders,  carriers,  millers,  tentmakers.  And  Paul  had  to 
be  able  to  work  for  his  own  food,  lodging,  clothing.  Here  we  find 
the  idea  of  the  free  gospel,  which  has  since  got  sadly  out  of  shape. 
You  will  see  later  on  how  Paul  worked  and  slaved  at  his  trade 
when  on  his  journeys,  so  that  he  could  say  he  had  kept  himself. 

Boys  look  back  with  pleasure  to  the  sunny  hours  of  school,  and 
to  one  particular  master,  who  made  it  a  time  of  happiness,  and 
somehow  of  learning  also.  But  these  days  were  past  for  Paul. 
He  would  now  sit  alone  with  his  master  poring  over  the  old 
brown  Hebrew  rolls,  listening  to  long  explanations  of  what  this 
old  rabbi  and  that  old  rabbi  had  said  was  the  meaning  of  this 
and  that  verse,  or  he  would  slowly  repeat  the  exact  words  of  some 
wise  saying,  which  he  had  to  commit  to  memory.  If  there  was 
a  rabbi  at  the  Tarsus  synagogue  who  had  been  to  the  college 


52  TENTMAKING   AND    STUDYING. 

in  Jerusalem,  and  was  more  advanced  than  the  schoolmaster  in 
learned  studies,  and  yet  worked  humbly  at  his  trade  in  the  great 
city,  Paul  would  go  to  him  for  deeper  instruction  in  the  endless 
Traditions. 

But  he  was  still  a  boy,  though  past  thirteen.  And  when  the 
hour  of  study  came  to  an  end,  the  old  rabbi  would  roll  up  his 
brown  parchments  and  put  them  carefully  into  their  box,  and 
tell  him  tales  of  his  student  days  in  Jerusalem — of  the  halls  and 
rooms  round  the  temple  courts  where  students  went  for  private 
teaching,  to  sit  on  the  floor  at  the  feet  of  the  reverend  rabbi 
whose  school  it  was ;  and  of  the  open  arched  porches,  where  the 
rabbis  sat  with  their  students  round  them,  speaking  to  all  who 
cared  to  hear  their  words  of  wisdom  without  money  and  without 
price. 

We  can  see  the  earnest  face  of  the  boy  Paul  as  he  sits  cross- 
legged  in  his  striped  blouse,  a  bright  kerchief  hiding  his  black 
hair,  his  earnest  grey  eyes  fixed  on  the  rabbi's  wrinkled  face,  as 
he  listens  with  deep  interest  to  what  he  can  tell  him  of  that 
student's  life  of  study  and  holiness  opening  before  him.  In  youth 
we  see  visions  and  dream  dreams.  Our  feet  are  upon  the  mountain 
clothed  with  earth's  green  and  crowned  with  heaven's  blue,  and 
we  see  not  the  gaping  passes,  the  black  crags,  the  torrents.  Pocks 
gleam  with  gold,  streams  flash  silver,  the  mist- white  pass  is  bridged 
with  a  bow  of  violet  and  rose,  for  upon  it  shines  the  sun  of  hope. 
And  so  Paul  toiled  at  his  studies,  and  worked  at  his  sacks,  tents, 
and  sails,  with  a  heart  that  rose  on  wings  from  his  present  hard 
life  into  realms  beyond. 

He  would  not  be  a  right  tentmaker  until  he  could  also  buy 
the  hair  needed  for  making  cilicium,  and  sell  the  tents  when 
made.  Sometimes  he  would  have  to  saddle  his  father's  asses,  and 
taking  empty  sacks  accompany  him  through  barley  fields,  farms, 
vineyards,  and  orchards  towards  the  only  pass  in  the  dark  Taurus 
mountains  by  which  they  could  get  up  to  the  shepherds'  regions 
beyond.  They  rode  along  a  Roman  road,  with  black  pavement  of 
flat  stones,  worn  into  ruts  by  the  wheels  of  country  carts,  and  the 
older  wheels  of  war  chariots ;  and  these  journeys  would  be  taken 
in  spring-time,  when  the  goats  were  casting  their  long  winter  hair. 
Wherever  the  red  earth  had  not  been  tilled  and  planted  with 
waving  grain,  the  plain  was  covered  with  grass  and  wild  flowers. 
Brilliant  beds  of  poppies  and  red,  yellow,  and  white  tulips  were 
there,  and  broad  tracts  of  anemones  of  dazzling  scarlet  and  deep 
purple,  and  of  pink  scented  hyacinths. 

In  these  fields  flowers  sowed  themselves,  and  multiplied  their 
colours,  until  the  scorching  sun  bent  them  to  the  ground.     Even 


TENTMAKING    AND    STUDYING.  53 

the  thickets  were  sweet  with  yellow  honeysuckle  and  white  jas- 
mine, and  the  wild  vine,  creeping  from  stem  to  stem,  tied  the 
branches  together,  as  we  have  seen  trees  laced  with  ivy  in  our 
own  woods. 

The  road  went  up  by  the  river,  crossing  and  recrossing  as  they 
rode  towards  the  lower  hills,  covered  with  forests  of  short  oak 
and  belted  with  blue  pines.  This  steep  pass  through  the  moun- 
tains is  called  the  Cilician  Gates,  for  it  was  the  only  opening  by 
which  the  people  from  the  countries  beyond  could  come  down  to 
the  Cilician  plain.  Long  years  ago  it  had  been  cut  out  of  the 
rock  by  invading  soldiers,  and  at  parts  the  gorge  was  so  narrow 
that  a  laden  camel  could  hardly  pass,  while  the  overhanging  crags 
shut  out  the  blue  sky. 

The  shepherds'  region  was  on  the  table-land  at  the  top  of  the 
pass,  where  myrtle  and  wild  thyme  grew  for  the  goats  to  feed 
upon.  And  there  Paul  and  his  companions  found  the  rough 
shepherds  living  in  low-roofed  tents  such  as  he  himself  made,  with 
their  children  and  their  fierce  dogs  playing  there,  while  the  women 
cooked  the  food  at  a  fire  of  sticks  and  rubbish  smouldering  at 
each  tent  door.  Days  and  weeks  would  be  spent  in  going  from 
camp  to  camp,  living  among  these  wild  shepherds,  and  bargaining 
for  the  goats'  hair  which  they  knew  he  had  come  up  to  buy,  and 
would  pretend  they  did  not  wish  to  sell. 

At  other  times  Paul  would  go  on  journeys  to  the  coast  towns, 
to  sell  haircloth  for  sails  and  sailors'  clothing,  or  along  the  roads 
and  over  the  low  hills  that  bounded  the  plain  on  the  east,  to  sell 
his  cloth  to  the  farmers  and  country  people,  or  to  merchants  in 
the  towns  who  wished  it  for  grain  sacks,  or  to  patch  their  tents 
or  make  saddle-bags. 

Going  from  place  to  place,  he  saw  men  of  all  sorts — merchants, 
sailors,  shepherds,  farmers,  town  people,  village  people,  rich  and 
poor,  Jews  and  foreigners — and  learned  that  there  were  other 
cities  in  the  world,  and  that  the  worship  of  idols  and  the  keeping 
of  festivals  were  not  confined  to  Tarsus.  He  learned,  too,  that 
there  were  other  temples  than  the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  and  other 
priests  in  white  robes  who  offered  sacrifices.  In  these  towns  he 
found  that  the  foreigners  disliked  the  Jews,  who  traded  there,  and 
lived  apart,  and  worshipped  in  their  small,  dark  synagogues ;  and 
that  the  Jews  hated  the  foreigners,  who  knelt  and  made  offerings, 
and  burned  incense,  and  played  wild  music  to  idols  of  wood  and 
stone  amid  green  groves. 


54  LEAVING    TARSUS. 

Leaving    Tarsus. 

TARSUS:    AGED   15-30. 

IN  his  journeys  across  the  wide  Cilician  plain,  and  among  the 
hills  and  villages,  Paul  would  learn  the  ways  of  the  country 
people.  Sitting  at  night  by  the  shepherds'  ruddy  fire  that  lit  up  a 
circle  of  dusky  faces,  he  would  hear  their  strange  stories  of  fighting 
and  bartering,  of  cattle-rearing  and  cheating,  of  drinking,  feasting, 
robbery.  He  would  spend  nights  in  the  rude  stone  shelters  for 
travellers,  and  would  learn  how  to  take  care  of  his  asses,  and  cook 
his  own  food,  and  fight  for  his  rights  in  places  where  the  timid  and 
the  weak  were  pushed  aside  and  the  strong  got  what  they  wanted. 
He  thus  was  taught  to  be  a  traveller,  though  he  did  not  know  how 
much  of  his  life  would  be  spent  in  travelling. 

The  Jewish  rabbis  said  that  at  fifteen  years  of  age,  having 
learned  the  Law,  the  Scriptures,  and  the  principal  Traditions,  the 
young  student  was  to  enter  upon  the  study  of  the  whole  of  the 
Traditions  of  every  shape  and  kind,  old  and  new,  whether  con- 
nected with  the  Law  of  Moses  or  the  rest  of  the  Bible.  At  that 
age  he  was  thought  to  be  so  well  settled  in  his  knowledge  of  the 
Law  that  nothing,  however  strange  or  incredible,  need  be  kept 
back  from  him.  He  would  believe  anything,  and  so  the  last  door 
of  the  rabbis  was  thrown  open,  that  he  might  see  and  know  all 
that  they  knew. 

He  had  learned  a  trade,  and  the  time  came  for  a  final  decision 
as  to  his  future.  If  he  were  only  to  be  a  leading  Pharisee,  he 
need  not  leave  Tarsus  ;  but  if  he  wished  to  be  a  teacher,  he  would 
have  to  go  and  live  in  Jerusalem,  as  a  student  under  one  of  the 
great  rabbis  of  the  temple.  It  would  not  be  without  many  consulta- 
tions between  his  father  and  the  synagogue  elders  that  the  decision 
was  at  length  come  to  that  he  should  be  a  teacher.  His  mother, 
too,  would  have  her  deep  and  tender  thoughts,  although  her  voice 
would  not  be  heard  in  these  discussions.  He  was  a  good  scholar, 
and  his  old  schoolmaster  would  rejoice  to  think  that  Paul  was  to 
continue  his  studies ;  and  the  whole  synagogue  would  be  proud 
that  so  promising  a  youth  was  going  up  from  Tarsus  to  Jerusalem. 

A  supper  would  be  given  in  honour  of  his  going,  and  much 
good  advice  bestowed  on  him  by  old  men  whom  he  respected, 
and  whose  praise  would  be  dear ;  for  they  knew  of  his  progress, 
and  hoped  he  would  do  great  things.  The  Jews  always  helped 
each  other,  as  they  do  still,  and  he  would  get  letters  of  introduc- 
tion to  friends  in  Jerusalem ;  for  they  were  careful  that  wherever 


LEAVING   TARSUS.  65 

a  youth  went,  he  should  not  be  without  a  hand  to  welcome  him 
at  the  synagogue,  and  an  eye  to  watch  him.  And  his  talkative 
friends  would  say  that  he  would  come  back  to  Tarsus  a  great  and 
learned  rabbi,  to  teach  and  speak  in  their  own  synagogue.  And 
he  would  think  in  secret  that  perhaps  he  might,  and  would  resolve 
to  try ;  for  his  young  heart  would  be  overflowing  with  generous 
and  tender  feelings  towards  the  people  and  the  place  that  had 
known  him  all  his  life. 

It  is  probable  that  by  this  time  his  sister  was  in  Jerusalem 
with  her  husband,  and  that  his  father  and  mother  would  go  with 
him  to  attend  one  of  the  great  festivals.  But  his  mother's  real 
purpose  would  be  to  see  as  much  as  she  could  of  her  boy  before 
being  separated  from  him  for  what  she  knew  would  be  many  long 
years,  with  very  few  breaks  between. 

They  could  either  sail  in  a  pilgrim  boat  to  distant  Csesarea,  on 
the  coast  of  Palestine,  or  they  could  ride  by  road  to  Jerusalem ; 
and  I  prefer  to  think  that  they  went  leisurely  by  road,  travelling 
with  one  of  the  great  bands  of  Jewish  pilgrims  who  were  going 
to  the  holy  city  and  the  golden  temple. 

Leaving  Tarsus  would  be  a  great  event  to  the  young  student 
and  to  his  mother,  who  would  feel  that  he  was  passing  out 
of  her  control  into  unknown  hands  that  might  mould  him  into 
something  different  from  the  child  she  knew.  For  weeks  before 
the  departure  she  would  be  busy  with  her  needle,  making  shirts, 
tunics,  girdles,  shawls,  kerchiefs,  the  brightest  and  the  best,  for 
her  boy,  with  a  heavy  cloak  for  winter  and  a  thick  mat  to  sleep 
on.  For  it  was  considered  a  sign  of  a  well-to-do  youth  if  he  had 
several  changes  of  clothing,  besides  money  in  his  purse.  And  whose 
hand  could  make  them  better  than  a  mother's,  with  bright  colours, 
and  touches  of  embroidery  at  the  neck  and  hem,  to  make  him 
think  of  home  and  her  1 

Paul  had  often  seen  the  pilgrim  bands  starting  with  shout  and 
song  in  the  sunshine  of  early  morning,  but  now  he  was  to  go  also. 
Others  would  return  within  a  few  months,  but  he  would  not  return, 
and  might  not  see  again  for  years  the  great  city  with  its  river  and 
ships-  their  own  street,  and  the  door  of  his  father's  house. 

With  his  mother  riding  on  an  ass,  their  tent  and  mats,  pots, 
bottles,  food,  clothing,  books,  and  all  the  requisites  of  a  long 
journey  strapped  on  more  asses,  they  joined  the  noisy  crowd  of 
Jews  in  the  gathering-place  in  the  fields  outside  the  city  wall — 
many  men  and  youths,  and  a  few  women,  dressed  in  their  holi- 
day dresses  of  red  and  yellow,  green  and  brown,  and  mingling 
with  friends  who  had  come  out  to  see  them  start  early  on  the  long 
journey  of  four  hundred  miles.     They  were  not  sad,  for  they  were 


56  JOURNEYING   TOWARDS   JERUSALEM. 

counted  fortunate  who  were  able  to  go,  and  those  to  be  pitied  who 
were  left  behind  and  would  not  get  the  rich  blessing  which  they 
deeply  believed  came  to  those  who  gave  up  most  and  who  travelled 
furthest  to  attend  a  festival. 

The  road  could  be  seen  winding  eastward  like  a  white  ribbon 
across  the  plain,  and  songs  of  joy  went  up  from  the  band  as  they 
went  away,  waving  green  branches  to  those  who  had  come  out  to 
see  them  start.  They  were  a  strange  company,  of  old  and  young, 
rich  and  poor ;  the  aged  beggar  with  staff,  wallet,  and  ragged 
cloak,  who  thought  lightly  of  a  journey ;  the  lightly-clad,  black- 
haired  boy,  whose  rich  father  rode  a  horse,  taking  his  son  to  see 
the  greatest  sight  in  the  world ;  the  broad-shouldered  merchant 
with  turban  of  purple  and  white,  who  walked  beside  his  well-laden 
camel  with  a  long  knife  at  his  girdle,  and  who  intended  to  do 
business  in  the  great  city.  At  a  slow  pace  they  streamed  on, 
laughing  and  talking ;  for  it  was  like  a  holiday  trip  to  walk  and 
ride,  over  hills  and  valleys  and  by  the  blue  sea,  to  Jerusalem. 

Crossing  by  the  steep,  narrow  bridge  of  the  Cydnus,  they 
travelled  along  the  paved  Koman  road  for  twenty  miles,  over 
which  so  many  armies  had  passed,  and  the  setting  sun  would  find 
the  pilgrims  nearing  the  town  of  Adana,  on  the  banks  of  the  broad 
river  Saurus.  Their  first  day's  journey  would  be  from  one  swift 
river  to  another,  and  there  they  would  stop  and  put  up  their  tents 
for  the  night. 


Journeying  towards  Jerusalem. 

ADANA:    AGED  15-30. 

IN  every  town  there  was  the  house  for  strangers,  or  inn,  as  we 
should  call  it,  though  not  the  least  like  an  inn.  It  was  only 
a  wide,  open  space  surrounded  by  a  thick  wall,  with  arches  for 
shelters ;  and  sometimes  there  were  rooms  above,  reached  by  an 
outside  stair,  where  travellers  might  sleep  who  were  willing  to 
pay.  In  the  middle  of  the  enclosure  was  a  deep  well,  with  stone 
water-troughs  for  the  cattle.  A  low  archway  in  the  thick  wall, 
v/hich  could  be  securely  closed  at  night,  was  the  only  entrance ; 
and  thus  travellers  were  able  to  get  shelter,  where  they  could  light 
a  fire,  and  get  water  for  their  horses,  and  be  safe  from  thieves. 
If  there  were  few  people  in,  the  horses,  camels,  and  asses  had  their 
burdens  taken  off,  and  were  put  into  the  stable  arches ;  but  if  the 
place  was  crowded,  the  animals  lay  on  the  open  ground,  and  the 
travellers  made  themselves  as  comfortable  as  they  could  in  the 


JOURNEYING   TOWARDS   JERUSALEM.  57 

arches  and  the  rooms  above.  There  was  no  furniture.  Every 
one  had  to  bring  his  own  pots,  dishes,  and  sleeping  mat,  and  make 
his  own  tire,  for  the  people  were  always  changing. 

While  some  of  the  Tarsus  pilgrims  went  thither,  and  took  the 
best  places  they  could  get,  others  spread  out  their  tents  in  a  small 
camp  close  by  the  city  walls  for  safety.  And  we  can  picture  Paul 
unloading  the  asses,  putting  up  the  poles,  shaking  out  the  broad 
tent-cover,  and  spreading  it  over  them  with  his  father's  help,  knock- 
ing in  the  tent-pins,  and  pulling  at  the  ropes  until  he  had  stretched 
the  cover  tight,  while  his  mother  hung  up  grass  mats  of  yellow 
and  red  that  were  to  divide  her  part  at  the  back  from  the  men's 
part  at  the  front.  Then  he  would  help  her  to  gather  sticks  and 
kindle  a  fire,  and  pulling  out  pots  and  pans,  she  would  soon  have 
the  evening  meal  ready  for  her  husband  and  her  son.  And  by  the 
time  the  sun  had  gone  down  over  the  rosy  mountains  behind  Tarsus, 
and  the  stars  were  out  in  the  violet  sky,  the  small  family  had  said 
their  evening  prayers  together,  and  with  the  tent  door  fastened, 
and  a  small  oil-lamp  burning  within,  they  were  preparing  to  sleep 
for  the  night.  They  knew  that  before  the  red  dawn  had  kindled 
upon  the  eastern  hills  they  would  have  to  be  up  and  ready  to 
start  again. 

Paul  was  going,  as  Jesus  had  already  gone,  away  from  his 
home,  towards  the  great  city  about  which  they  had  heard  and 
thought  so  much.  But  how  different  was  their  going  !  Jesus,  the 
divine  boy,  guided  by  God's  presence ;  Paul,  the  youth  of  fifteen, 
amid  a  maze  of  rules,  commands,  traditions,  with  darkening  mind, 
looking  towards  God,  and  seeing  Him  afar  oft'. 

Jesus  had  been  to  the  temple.  Bordering  upon  manhood,  He 
was  now  learning  to  be  a  carpenter  in  the  green  glen  of  Galilee, 
meditating  upon  those  scriptures  about  which  Paul  was  not  ex- 
pected to  think  for  himself ;  watching  the  changing  seasons  that 
wrote  their  lesson  among  the  crimson  flowers  and  over  the  golden 
fields,  and  seeing  in  the  little  ones  around  Him  the  children  of 
His  Father's  kingdom.  He  had  not  found  in  the  temple  what 
He  had  been  told  to  expect,  although  it  is  likely  that,  in  obedience 
to  His  parents'  wishes.  He  frequently  returned  with  them. 

Paul  was  going  in  the  earnest  belief  that  God  dwelt  there,  and 
that  there  alone  could  He  be  worshipped  aright.  Jesus  knew 
that  it  was  not  so.  Paul  believed  that  only  the  man  who  knew 
and  kept  the  whole  Law  of  Moses  and  all  the  Traditions  could  live 
a  good  life.     Jesus  had  been  told  this,  and  wondered. 

They  were  moving  along  different  ways — Jesus  in  the  way  of 
God,  Paul  in  the  ways  of  men,  toiling  onward  in  a  daily,  ever- 
increasing  effort  to  reach  perfection  by  obeying  countless  rules  and 


58  THROUGH    THE    SYRIAN    GATES. 

customs  laid  upon  him  by  his  teachers.  Did  they  ever  meet  in 
Jerusalem  and  in  the  temple  ?  Had  they  but  met  and  spoken, 
how  great  and  sudden  might  have  been  the  change  in  Paul !  But 
it  would  not  come  until  he  had  felt  the  useless  bitterness  of  his 
ever-increasing  study  in  the  barren  years  to  come. 


Through  the  Syrian  Gates. 

SYRIA:    AGED  15-30. 

A  BREAKFAST  of  sour  milk  and  thin  scones,  eggs,  parched 
corn,  fruit  and  oil,  would  be  what  Paul  would  get  as  the 
tent  was  being  hurriedly  taken  down  in  the  grey  dark,  and  the 
things  gathered  together  and  strapped  upon  the  asses.  And  soon 
the  pilgrims  were  jDassing  over  the  long  stone  bridge  that  crosses 
the  broad  river  Saurus,  with  the  rising  sun  gleaming  on  the  high 
mountains  in  front  of  them.  Their  day's  journey  was  again  across 
wide  plains  green  with  grass,  spotted  with  the  flaming  heads  of 
poppies  and  marigolds,  and  ruddy  brown  where  the  fields  were 
surrounded  with  prickly  hedges  so  thick  that  bullocks  could  not 
break  through. 

As  the  day  advanced  they  went  through  open  valleys  among 
low  hills,  where  herds  of  brown  deer  bounded  lightly  up  the  rocks 
far  out  of  reach.  At  midday  they  stopped  to  take  food,  and  rest 
for  an  hour  or  two  in  the  shade  of  trees.  In  the  afternoon  they 
moved  on  again,  and  their  second  day's  journey  would  end  at  a 
town  on  a  river  broader  and  deeper  than  the  last,  and  again  the 
tent  was  put  up  and  the  fire  kindled  for  the  night. 

And  in  this  manner,  day  after  day,  the  band  of  pilgrims  moved 
slowly  on  a  road  paved  with  worn  stones ;  for  the  armies  of  many 
nations  had  marched  along  it — Egyptians,  Macedonians,  Persians, 
Syrians,  Greeks,  Romans — and  in  years  to  come  the  all-conquering 
Turks  would  pass  also.  It  was  the  great  highway  between  the 
countries  of  the  East  and  the  West,  and  the  camels  of  the  merchants 
were  coming  and  going  along  it  in  summer  and  in  winter,  and 
bands  of  soldiers  with  shining  armour,  and  gangs  of  weary,  footsore 
slaves,  with  their  cruel  drivers. 

But  there  were  others  who  knew  this  road — the  robbers,  who 
lived  in  caves  among  the  hills,  and  who  rushed  down  upon  defence- 
less travellers  to  rob  them  and  make  off  to  the  hills  again.  Nor 
was  it  safe  to  travel  by  night ;  for  wolves  and  hyenas  were  common, 
and  even  lions  and  tigers  were  known  to  attack  travellers  when 


FIRST   SIGHT   OF    PALESTINE.  59 

they  were  too  few  to  scare  them  off.  And  so  the  pilgrims  went  in 
bands,  and  sometimes  had  to  pay  tribesmen  who  loved  fighting  to 
come  with  them  and  protect  them  from  the  robbers.  This  band 
would  be  so  large  that  they  had  little  to  fear  from  either  wild  beasts 
or  robbers,  and  their  numbers  increased  each  day  by  the  addition 
of  more  Jews  from  the  towns  through  which  they  passed,  and  their 
joyful  marching  songs  were  heard  ever  louder  in  the  valleys  as 
they  went. 

The  fourth  day  would  find  them  close  to  the  sea-shore,  as  they 
went  round  the  large  bay  at  the  end  of  the  blue  Mediterranean, 
and  then  they  turned  their  faces  towards  Palestine  and  Jeru- 
salem. There  were  high  mountains  in  front  of  them,  reaching 
from  the  edge  of  the  sea  far  inland,  and  they  had  to  climb  by  a 
winding  road  that  brought  them  into  a  narrow  and  difficult  pass 
called  the  Syrian  Gates,  which  marked  the  boundary  between  their 
province  of  Cilicia  and  the  province  of  Syria.  And  they  looked 
back  across  the  bay  of  sea  and  the  wide  plain  towards  the  trees 
and  the  white  houses  of  Tarsus,  at  the  foot  of  the  dark  mountains. 
Armies  had  poured  into  Syria  through  this  deep  pass,  and  as  the 
pilgrims  came  out  of  it,  Paul  would  be  for  the  first  time  on  the 
other  side  of  the  mountains  which  had  been  the  boundary  of  the 
world  of  his  childhood. 

They  passed  the  great  and  ancient  city  of  Antioch  upon  the 
hill,  the  capital  of  Syria,  with  its  massive  walls  to  keep  it  safe  on 
all  sides  from  attack.  And  there  Paul  would  see  the  temples, 
theatres,  and  baths  of  the  foreigners  shining  in  white  marble,  and 
more  splendid  than  any  in  Tarsus.  They  would  find  many  Jews 
there,  for  had  not  Herod  the  Great  of  Jerusalem  paved  the  prin- 
cipal street  and  lined  it  with  pillars  ?  And  they  saw  its  seaport 
of  Seleucia  filled  with  ships,  whose  masts  and  flags  were  crowded 
closer  than  in  the  river  harbour  at  Tarsus. 


First  Sight  of   Palestine. 

SYRIA:    AGED  15-30. 

THE  pilgrims  from  Tarsus  could  continue  their  journey  by 
the  winding  caravan  road  along  the  sea-shore  after  leaving 
Antioch,  or  go  up  into  the  hill  country  and  along  the  road  by 
Damascus.  It  is  probable  that  they  would  go  by  Damascus,  and 
so  through  the  heart  of  their  own  beloved  country  of  Palestine, 
among  scenes  made  familiar  and  dear  to  them  by  constant  reading 


60  FIRST    SIGHT   OF    PALESTINE. 

of  the  Bible.  Paul's  knowledge  was  fresh  and  his  expectation 
keen,  and  his  father  would  point  out  mountains  and  hills,  valleys, 
woods,  and  streams,  whose  names  called  up  vivid  pictures  from  the 
history  of  their  people. 

After  leaving  Damascus,  they  would  pass  through  the  beauti- 
fully-wooded hill  country  of  Bashan,  and  from  the  higher  ground 
Paul's  father  would  point  out  the  snowy  cap  of  Hermon,  like  a 
white  cloud  in  the  sky,  and  tell  him  that  it  was  the  high  mountain 
of  which  he  had  often  heard,  and  that  he  was  now  in  the  land  of 
his  fathers.  He  would  tell  him  that  the  part  where  they  stood 
belonged  to  the  tribe  of  Naphtali,  and  that  as  far  as  he  could 
see  over  the  hills  to  the  south  was  the  promised  land  of  Moses. 
He  would  show  him  the  Lebanon  ranges  spreading  out  from 
Mount  Hermon,  and  tell  him  that  there  grew  the  forests  of 
mighty  cedars.  And  Paul  would  call  to  mind  verses  of  the 
Psalms,  and  perhaps  repeat  them  as  they  gazed. 

He  shall  grow  like  a  cedar  of  Lebanon. 

The  hills  are  covered  with  shadows, 

And  the  boughs  are  goodly  cedars, 

Sending  branches  into  the  sea,  and  roots  into  the  river. 

The  trees  of  God  are  full  of  sap ; 

The  cedars  of  Lebanon,  which  He  planted  : 

There  the  birds  make  their  nests. 

The  stork  has  her  home  in  the  branches. 

The  view  of  the  country  from  Bashan  along  the  valley  of  the 
Jordan  is  very  extensive,  and  as  his  father  pointed  across  to  the 
hills  and  vales  of  the  Galileans,  he  would  tell  him  that  amid  its 
lonely  caves  and  passes  there  were  men  whom  the  Bomans  could 
not  conquer,  and  who  kept  up  the  hope  that  one  day  they  would 
be  able  to  drive  them  out  of  the  land.  If  he  mentioned  Nazareth, 
it  would  not  be  to  speak  of  Jesus  the  carpenter,  for  He  was  not 
known  beyond  the  hills  round  His  village. 

As  his  eye  roamed  over  the  land  of  his  race,  his  father's  mind 
would  be  filled  with  strange  thoughts.  There  was  no  longer  any 
king.  Herod  the  Great  was  the  last  Jewish  king,  but  he  only 
reigned  by  leave  of  the  Roman  emperor.  When  he  died,  about 
twenty  years  before,  the  country  was  divided  amongst  his  sons 
Archelaus,  Philip,  and  Antipas,  who,  while  calling  themselves 
kings,  were  only  Roman  governors.  Archelaus  was  over  Judea 
and  Samaria,  and  in  two  years'  time  he  had  offended  the  Roman 
emperor,  and  was  banished  to  France ;  and  Quirinus,  a  Roman 
soldier,  was  made  governor  in  his  place,  who  caused  much  trouble 
by  ordering  the  people  to  be  counted  and  taxed.     The  old  quarrel 


GREEN-   VALES    AND    WOODED    HILLS.  61 

between  Judeans  and  Samaritans  had  broken  out  again,  and  some 
spiteful  Samaritans  had  defiled  the  Jerusalem  temple  by  scatter- 
ing dead  men's  bones  in  the  courts,  which  was  a  terrible  offence ; 
and  quite  recently  the  Emperor  Augustus  had  died,  who  was  a 
friend  of  the  Jews,  and  Tiberius  was  now  reigning,  with  Annius 
Kufus  as  Roman  governor  in  Jerusalem,  And  Paul's  father  would 
tell  him  that  their  country  was  in  a  very  unhappy  state,  and  that 
the  wild  spirits  were  hoping  that  deliverance  from  the  Romans 
was  at  hand,  although  the  truth  was  that  they  were  soon  to  be 
oppressed  more  heavily  than  ever. 


Green  Vales  and  Wooded   Hills. 

BASHAN  :    AGED   15-30. 

CONTINUING  their  joyful  journey  towards  Jerusalem,  the 
pilgrims  from  Tarsus  would  go  down  from  the  highlands 
of  Bashan  towards  the  river  Jordan ;  and  Paul's  father  would 
point  to  the  Lake  of  Gennesaret  deep  down  among  bare  hills, 
with  grass  and  trees  round  its  uneven  shores,  and  crowds  of 
fishing-boats  upon  its  blue  waters.  And  he  would  tell  him  of  the 
fights  that  had  taken  place  there,  and  of  Tiberias  and  Csesarea, 
the  Roman  cities  beside  it ;  and  that  the  Jordan,  which  they  would 
cross,  was  the  river  through  which  Joshua  led  the  children  of 
Israel,  into  a  land  flowing  with  milk  and  honey,  as  Moses  said. 

On  their  way  through  the  country,  his  eyes  would  rest  upon 
the  round  shape  of  Mount  Tabor,  green  to  the  top  with  small  oak 
tf  ees ;  and  he  would  hear  that  there  Barak  and  Deborah  had 
gathered  ten  thousand  men  of  Naphtali  and  Zebulun,  and  coming 
down,  had  defeated  Sisera,  the  Canaanite,  with  his  chariots  of 
iron.  Beyond  it  was  the  broad  plain  of  Esdraelon,  scored  with 
roads,  and  dotted  with  white  villages  amid  fields  of  grain  ;  and  his 
father  would  tell  him  of  the  battles  that  had  been  fought  among 
these  fields,  and  would  point  out  the  mountain  of  Gilboa,  where 
his  great  namesake,  King  Saul,  had  placed  his  sword-handle  upon 
the  ground  and  pierced  his  heart,  because  he  had  lost  the  fight. 

The  pilgrims  would  not  go  through  the  beautiful  country  of 
the  Samaritans,  because  the  feud  between  them  and  the  Jews  was 
so  bitter  that  many  who  tried  to  go  to  the  festivals  at  Jerusalem 
were  attacked ;  and  so  they  would  keep  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Jordan.  But  he  would  look  across  to  the  wide  vale  of  Shechera, 
where  Jacob  and  his  sons  stopped  for  four  years  on  the  way  to  his 
father  Isaac  at  Hebron,  and  would  hear  that  Jacob's  well  was 


62  THE   VISION   OF   JERUSALEM. 

there,  and  Joseph's  tomb.  The  rocky  Mount  Gerizim  would  be 
pointed  out  to  him  as  the  hated  spot  where  the  Samaritans  built 
a  temple  to  rival  the  golden  temple  at  Jerusalem,  but  that  it  was 
now  in  ruins.  And  as  the  pilgrims  crossed  the  deep  and  wooded 
vale  of  the  Jabbok,  and  went  through  the  beautiful  pasture- 
lands  of  Gilead,  the  place  would  be  pointed  out  where  Jacob 
wrestled  all  night. 

Up  among  the  blue  haze  of  the  hills  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Jordan,  he  would  be  told,  was  the  stony  plain  of  Bethel,  where 
Jacob  dreamed  he  saw  angels  coming  and  going  as  on  a  ladder 
between  earth  and  heaven,  and  had  set  up  a  stone  and  promised 
to  serve  God  all  his  life. 

Coming  down  from  the  hills  of  Gilead,  they  approached  the 
fords  of  the  Jordan,  and  saw  upon  the  other  side  the  rich  plain  of 
Jericho ;  and  Paul  would  be  told  that  this  was  the  spot  where, 
a  thousand  years  before,  the  Jews  had  first  crossed  into  the 
promised  land.  With  cries  of  joy  the  pilgrims  would  hasten  into 
the  river,  as  they  do  still,  and  bathe  and  wash  as  if  the  water 
were  doing  them  some  strange  and  wonderful  good.  And  Paul 
would  bathe  for  the  first  time  in  the  Jordan,  and  feel  that  the 
water,  shaded  from  the  sun  in  its  deep  gorge,  was  very  cold  indeed. 

They  were  now  in  the  land  of  his  own  tribe  of  Benjamin,  where 
every  hill  and  valley,  stream  and  town,  had  some  story  dear  to 
his  father's  heart.  This  strong  walled  city  of  Jericho,  with  trees 
growing  in  its  streets — was  not  this  the  town  whose  walls  fell  at  the 
blast  of  Joshua's  trumpets  1  And  Gilgal — did  not  the  people  come 
out  hither  to  bring  King  David  back  in  triumph  to  his  palace  in 
Jerusalem  1  Was  it  not  at  Ramah  that  the  great  prophet  Samuel 
lived  and  taught  his  young  men  1  Was  not  Saul  crowned  at 
Mizpah?  And  yonder  hill  of  white  limestone — was  it  not  there 
that  six  hundred  men  of  Paul's  own  tribe  defended  themselves  for 
four  months  1  Every  field,  stone,  and  tree  was  dear,  for  it  was 
woven  into  a  history  of  imperishable  religion  and  stirring  deeds 
which  he  had  learned  from  his  childhood,  and  the  land  on  every 
side  of  him  was  peopled,  to  his  eyes,  with  the  figures  of  heroes. 


The  Vision  of  Jerusalem. 

JERICHO:    AGED   15-30. 

LEAVING  the  beautiful  town  of  Jericho,  a  valley  lay  before 
-^     them  which  got  more  narrow  and  steep,  until  it  became  a 
gorge  with  high  rocks  on  each  side.     They  were  climbing  into 


THE    VISION    OF    JERUSALEM.  63 

the  hills  of  Judea;  and  while  it  was  hard  and  dangerous,  and  a 
favourite  place  for  robbers,  the  pilgrims  were  joyful  because 
they  would  come  out  upon  the  Mount  of  Olives,  beyond  which 
was  Jerusalem  ! 

When  they  approached  the  top  of  the  hill,  Paul's  father  would 
tell  him  to  prepare  for  the  most  beautiful  sight  in  the  whole 
world;  and  his  feelings  of  love  for  his  country  and  enthusiasm 
for  his  religion  were  such  that  he  would  not  have  been  amazed  if, 
instead  of  walls  of  stone,  he  were  to  see  a  city  in  the  skies,  with 
foundations  of  sparkling  crystal  and  towers  of  shining  gold.  A 
few  steps  more  and  he  was  on  the  crest  of  the  hill,  and  the  city 
rose  in  splendour  before  him.  Built  upon  a  lower  hill,  its  walls, 
towers,  terraces,  palaces,  streets  were  spread  out  like  a  map,  upon 
which  he  looked  across  a  deep  glen.  With  glowing  eyes  he  would 
turn  to  his  father,  and  ask  if  yonder  roof,  plated  with  gold  and 
encircled  with  a  crown  of  gold  spikes,  was  not  the  roof  of  the 
holy  temple. 

The  Mount  of  Olives  was  not  high,  and  soon  the  pilgrims 
were  winding  down  into  the  Kedron  valley,  while  Paul  gazed  on 
palace,  tower,  and  streets  crowded  with  moving  people,  and  on 
the  temple  buildings  that  rose  court  above  court,  until  his  eyes 
rested  again  upon  the  awful  mystery  of  the  small  square  building 
with  roof  of  shining  gold  that  stood  highest  of  all ;  for  to  him  it 
was  so  sacred  that  to  say  one  word  against  it  was  to  deserve  death. 

And  as  he  gazed,  the  prayers  for  the  temple  which  he  had 
learned  in  Tarsus,  and  the  descriptions  which  he  knew  by  heart, 
would  pass  through  his  mind,  and  he  would  think  that  all  he 
had  heard  and  all  he  had  read  fell  far  short  of  the  glorious  vision. 
He  was  a  Jewish  youth,  trained  by  the  strictest  of  fathers,  and 
would  have  thought  it  wicked  not  to  think  that  the  sight  was  far 
beyond  what  words  could  picture  or  heart  desire.  For  such  is 
the  influence  of  teachers,  that  when  they  are  trusted  wholly,  in  the 
first  blaze  of  vision,  in  deep  earnest,  the  youth  sees  what  he 
is  told  to  see,  and  feels  what  he  is  told  to  feel.  Later  on  he 
will  begin  to  see  and  feel  for  himself,  but  not  yet. 

Going  down  the  path  towards  the  city,  Paul  sang  with  the 
pilgrims  the  psalms  with  which  they  had  greeted  the  first  sight 
of  the  temple  as  they  came  over  the  hill, — 

Beautiful  for  situation  is  Mount  Zion, 

The  joy  of  the  whole  earth  ; 

On  the  north  side  is  the  city  of  the  great  King. 

And  as  the  psalm  changed,  amid  fresh  waving  of  green  branches 
he  Bang  with  his  young  companions, — 


64  CROWDS    IN    THE    STREETS. 

Walk  about  Zion,  go  round  about  her : 
Count  the  towers,  and  mark  the  walls  ; 
Consider  the  palaces,  and  tell  it  to  your  children. 
For  the  Lord  is  our  God  for  ever  and  ever. 

Not  many  years  before,  Jesus,  the  holy  boy  of  Galilee,  had 
come  over  the  same  ridge  of  Olivet  singing  the  same  psalms,  and 
waving  a  green  branch.  His  young  mother  with  Him,  and  Joseph 
also.  His  dark  eyes  glowing  as  He  looked  upon  the  city,  His 
heart  filled  with  hopes  of  what  He  would  find  in  yonder  temple. 
But  He  did  not  find  what  He  sought.  His  father's  house  was  not 
the  house  of  prayer ;  and  when  He  left  the  city  a  few  weeks  later, 
it  was  with  a  wondering  mind. 

But  in  the  sights  before  him  Paul  saw  all  that  he  had  been 
told,  and  in  the  temple  itself  he  would  find  all  that  had  been 
said.  He  would  not  leave  the  city  in  a  few  weeks  with  a  mind 
unsatisfied,  for  it  would  be  his  home  for  years  to  come,  and  the 
temple  his  chief  resort. 


Crowds  in  the  Streets. 

JERUSALEM:    AGED  15-30. 

THE  crowds  who  came  to  Jerusalem  at  the  Passover  festival 
were  so  great  that  the  city  could  not  hold  them,  and  they 
had  to  put  up  tents  and  live  in  camps  outside.  The  pilgrims  from 
Tarsus  would  choose  a  camping-place  on  the  slopes  of  Olivet, 
opposite  to  the  temple,  or  on  the  level  ground  close  to  the  walls. 
If  Paul's  sister  and  her  husband  were  living  there,  he  would  go  to 
them ;  for  at  such  a  time  it  was  the  custom  to  take  in  as  many 
as  the  house  could  hold.  The  streets  of  the  city  and  the  Kedron 
valley  were  thronged  with  people,  and  as  he  crossed  over  the 
bridge  towards  the  city  gate,  he  would  see  deep  down  the  white 
stream  which  King  David  loved. 

There  is  a  river  whose  streams  make  glad  the  city  of  God, 
The  holy  place  of  the  tent  of  the  Most  High. 

And  as  he  walked  with  his  father  through  the  low  archway 
in  the  massive  city  walls,  and  up  the  narrow,  crowded  streets, 
and  saw  Jews  there  from  Egypt  and  Asia,  Africa  and  Greece, 
he  would  remember  the  words  of  the  psalm, — 

Our  feet  are  standing  within  thy  gates, 

O  Jerusalem  !     Thou  are  built  close  together  as  a  city, 

Whither  the  tribes  go  up  to  give  thanks  to  God. 


CROWDS    IN   THE    STREETS.  65 

A  blessing  on  Jerusalem  :  may  they  prosper  that  love  thee. 

Peace  be  within  thy  walls,  prosperity  within  thy  palaces. 
And  this  is  part  of  the  inarching  song  which  they  had  sung 
npon  their  long  journey  : — 

As  the  deer  pants  after  the  water  brooks, 

So  thirsts  my  soul  for  Thee,  O  God. 

I  went  with  the  throng,  in  a  band  with  them, 

With  songs  of  joy  and  praise,  a  multitude  keeping  holiday. 
Paul  would  be  early  awake  on  his  first  morning  in  Jerusalem, 
and  would  listen  for  the  three  blasts  from  the  priests'  silver 
trumpets,  borne  over  the  temple  walls  on  Mount  Moriah,  pro- 
claiming to  the  city  that  a  new  day  of  worship  had  begun.  Then 
the  temple  gates,  that  took  twenty  men  to  move  them,  were  being 
slowly  opened,  and  the  morning  sacrifice  would  soon  burn  upon 
the  great  white  altar  of  rough  stones  in  the  priests'  court.  With 
his  face  turned  towards  the  temple,  and  perhaps  with  his  eyes 
resting  upon  its  roof  of  gold,  Paul  would  say  his  morning  prayers 
with  a  feeling  of  nearness  that  he  had  never  felt  in  far-away 
Tarsus.  Going  out  with  his  father  through  the  narrow  streets, 
his  step  would  be  light  and  his  heart  joyful;  for  was  it  not 
written, — 

I  was  glad  when  they  said,  Let  us  go  up  to  God's  house. 

My  soul  longs  and  faints  for  the  temple  courts  : 

My  heart  sings  for  joy  to  the  living  God. 

The  sparrow  has  found  a  house,  the  swallow  a  nest 

Where  she  may  rear  her  young,  by  Thy  altars,  O  God ! 

They  are  blessed  who  live  there  :  they  ever  praise  Thee. 

I  would  rather  keep  a  door  in  the  temple  of  God, 

Than  dwell  in  tents  of  wickedness  ? 
Following  the  crowd  of  worshippers,  all  dressed  in  bright 
clothes,  Paul  climbed  the  steep  street  bringing  them  to  the  great 
white  steps  that  led  up  to  the  marble  porch  of  coloured  pillars 
under  a  richly-ornamented  roof,  where  they  were  shaded  from  the 
sun  as  they  walked.  His  eyes  looked  out  upon  the  first  great 
court,  paved  with  coloured  stones,  and  thronged  with  worshippers 
from  all  countries  ;  for  many  who  were  not  Jews  were  allowed  to 
come  in  if  they  believed  in  God.  But  noisy  butchers  were  there 
with  sheep  and  cattle  for  sale,  bird-sellers  with  willow  cages, 
money-changers  with  tables  of  coins,  there  to  buy  and  sell,  bargain 
and  cheat.  The  sun  shone  upon  the  people  as  they  moved  to  and 
fro ;  for  the  court  was  open  to  the  blue  sky,  and  surrounded  on 
three  sides  with  more  pillars,  roofed  over  to  make  shaded  porches 
from  the  heat  or  rain. 

a,040)  fi 


66  IN    THE    TEMPLE    COURTS. 

In  the  Temple  Courts. 

JERUSALEM:    AGED  15-30. 

FOR  the  first  time  in  his  life,  Paul  stood  with  naked  feet  upon 
the  coloured  pavement  of  the  temple.  He  had  never  been 
in  such  a  crowd,  or  seen  such  beautiful  pillars,  such  numbers  of 
white-robed  priests,  such  flocks,  herds,  cages  of  birds,  heaps  of 
money.  Above  were  more  white  steps  and  another  terrace  of 
pillars,  and  higher  still  the  holy  place,  with  its  roof  and  spikes  of 
gold,  and  its  blue  curtain  which  none  but  the  priests  might  see. 

Going  towards  these  steps,  they  came  to  a  low  wall,  about  a 
man's  height,  of  ornamented  marble,  with  openings  in  it;  and 
before  going  through,  they  paused  to  read  these  words,  cut  in 
Greek  and  in  Latin  upon  the  small  pillars  on  each  side :  "  No 
foreigner  must  go  past  this,  on  pain  of  death."  He  little  dreamt, 
as  he  went  through,  that  one  day  his  life  would  be  in  danger  at 
that  very  spot. 

Going  up  the  steps  and  through  the  pillars  above,  they  entered 
the  second  court,  looking,  as  they  passed,  at  the  famous  Beauti- 
ful Gate  of  bright  brass  from  Corinth.  They  were  then  in  the 
women's  court,  open  to  the  blue  skies  ;  but  beyond  this  his  mother 
could  not  go. 

Crossing  this  court,  he  went  up  more  steps,  and  through  more 
beautiful  pillars,  and  the  Nicanor  Gate,  of  silver  and  gold,  and 
into  the  court  of  the  men  and  priests.  There  stood  the  great 
white  altar  of  rough  stones  that  had  never  been  touched  with 
hammer  or  chisel,  from  which  a  stream  of  grey  smoke  rose  into 
the  air  from  the  fire  that  was  never  allowed  to  go  out.  And  as 
they  walked  about,  he  saw  the  marble  tables  on  which  the  sheep 
were  killed,  the  gold  and  silver  bowls  to  catch  their  blood,  the 
bath  like  a  flower,  resting  on  twelve  brass  lions,  and  so  large 
that  it  was  called  a  sea,  for  the  priests  to  wash  in. 

But  there  was  a  higher  terrace  still,  which  filled  the  youth 
with  such  dread  and  awe  that  he  hardly  dared  lift  his  eyes  to 
it.  This  was  the  shining  holy  place,  with  great  stones  covered 
with  gold,  and  white  marble  pillars  holding  up  the  roof  of  gold. 
Covering  a  door  of  gold  was  the  outer  curtain,  woven  of  blue, 
scarlet,  purple,  and  white,  behind  which  were  things  so  holy  to 
the  mind  of  the  youthful  Paul  that  he  would  have  feared  to  look 
on  them.  His  heart  throbbed  as  he  knelt  by  his  father's  side  in 
prayer  to  the  great  unseen  God,  who,  he  believef],  dwelt  within 
that  veil;  and  he  would  pay  little  heed  to  his  father  when  he 


A   DAY    IN    THE    TEMPLE.  67 

pointed  out  the  hall  of  hewn  stones  at  the  comer  of  the  court, 
where  the  rabbis  taught  their  students. 

Walking  with  naked  feet  across  the  hot,  coloured  pavement, 
dressed  in  the  pure  white  dress  and  striped  kerchief  of  a  young 
Pharisee,  his  mother  would  see  from  his  grave  face,  when  he 
returned,  that  he  had  been  deeply  moved  by  what  he  had  seen, 
hut  which  she  would  never  see.  Her  boy  had  passed  beyond 
her.  Other  minds  would  mould  the  young  life  that  was  so  dear — 
the  minds  of  those  silent  priests  who  served  in  their  white  robes 
of  seeming  purity  in  the  court  above. 

Meeting  friends  who  had  come  up  with  them  from  Tarsus, 
they  would  go  about,  while  his  father  showed  him  the  number  of 
the  pillars,  the  size  of  the  stones,  the  beams  made  of  the  cedars 
from  Lebanon,  the  houses  where  the  priests  lived,  and  the  Levites 
who  helped  the  priests,  and  the  guards  who  were  like  soldiers. 
There,  too,  were  the  storerooms  for  the  clothing,  food,  lamps, 
candles,  oil,  wine,  salt,  and  many  other  things  which  were  used 
every  day.  And  he  would  learn  that  the  temple  had  taken  forty 
years  to  build,  and  was  not  finished  yet.  The  treasury,  he  would 
be  told,  was  considered  the  safest  place  in  the  whole  country  to 
keep  money  and  jewels,  and  that  in  it  were  stored  rich  gifts  from 
wealthy  Jews  in  past  years,  presents  of  gold  dishes  from  foreign 
princes,  and  heaps  of  money  sent  from  Jews  in  all  parts  of  the 
world.  And  he  would  see  the  boxes  at  the  doors,  with  their 
trumpet-shaped  mouths,  into  which  the  people  cast  handfuls  of 
money ;  and  he  too  would  throw  in  his  first  gift,  and  hear  the 
coins  go  clattering  down  upon  the  heap  inside. 


A   Day  in   the  Temple. 

JERUSALEM  :    AGED  15-30. 

AS  the  morning  advanced  the  crowds  in  the  temple  courts  did 
-^^  not  grow  any  less.  Fresh  people  were  coming  in  as  others 
went  out,  and  the  white-robed  priests  were  busy  receiving  gifts, 
and  doing  the  many  services  required  by  their  religious  law. 
When  left  to  himself,  it  would  not  be  the  country  people  making 
their  gifts  of  lambs  and  money,  or  the  young  mothers  bringing 
their  baby  boys  to  be  blessed,  that  would  attract  him  most,  but 
the  pillared  porches  at  the  doors,  and  the  shaded  cloisters,  where 
the  peo]jle  were  listening  to  the  rabbis.  Standing  by  a  pillar,  he 
would  listen  for  a  time,   and  move  on  to  hear  another   speak. 


68  A    DAY    IN    THE   TEMPLE. 

Sometimes  the  voice  was  full  and  strong,  reaching  out  into  the 
sunny  court ;  and  sometimes  weak  and  trembling,  the  voice  of  an 
old,  white-haired  man :  and  the  people  placed  their  hands  to  their 
ears  to  catch  what  was  said,  for  these  were  the  great  temple 
rabbis. 

Standing  on  tiptoe,  he  could  see  the  old  men  sitting  on  a 
raised  stone  bench,  with  their  followers  in  a  circle  at  their  feet, 
listening  in  silence.  They  were  preaching  after  their  own  way  to 
the  passers-by,  in  a  sing-song  voice  which  carries  furthest.  They 
were  not  saying  anything  new — that  was  forbidden — but  repeat- 
ing what  the  great  rabbis  of  the  past  had  said  about  the  Law 
and  the  Traditions,  and  calling  upon  the  people  to  pay  heed  to 
the  words  of  wisdom. 

We  can  see  the  Tarsus  youth,  with  a  bright  kerchief  shading 
his  clear  grey  eyes,  as  he  hovers  about  the  outskirts  of  these 
groups,  not  going  too  deep,  so  that  he  may  get  easily  away,  and 
ever  hearing  much  the  same  things  as  he  had  been  taught  at 
Tarsus.  He  goes  on  and  on  till  he  has  gone  round  the  three 
sides  of  the  great  court,  listening,  and  never  doubting,  but  some- 
what bewildered  with  the  floods  of  learning  possessed  by  the 
rabbis. 

Not  many  years  ago,  the  holy  boy  of  Galilee,  in  holiday 
tunic,  with  ruddy  cheeks  and  bright  brown  hair,  had  come  with 
His  parents  to  the  Passover  festival,  and  had  left  them,  to  mingle 
with  these  crowds.  Attracted  by  the  speakers.  He  had  gone 
from  rabbi  to  rabbi  among  these  pillars  and  arches,  seeking  what 
He  could  not  find,  listening  for  what  He  did  not  hear.  For  three 
days  He  went,  perplexed  and  anxious ;  for  He  could  not  believe 
what  He  heard,  and  was  grieved  that  they  should  tell  the  people 
what  was  not  true.  He  pressed  forward  to  the  front  to  ask  a 
question  of  the  aged  teacher — a  simple  question  which  he  could 
not  answer.  And  as  He  was  asking  more  questions  He  saw  His 
mother's  face  looking  at  Him  with  joy  and  anxiety,  and  went 
over  to  her,  and  left  the  golden  temple  with  feelings  of  wonder 
and  dislike  that  would  grow  and  flower  in  the  purity  of  His  life. 

Jesus  was  a  young  man  now,  working  as  a  carpenter  in  Gali- 
lee ;  but  before  many  years  would  pass  His  voice  would  be  heard 
among  these  pillars,  and  ringing  out  over  the  thousands  in  that 
great  court.  It  is  not  likely  that  Paul  would  hear  of  the  Galilean 
boy  who  astonished  the  rabbis  with  His  simple  questions  and  wise 
answers.  Unlike  Him,  Paul  had  no  questions  to  ask,  no  burning- 
astonishment  to  force  him  forward  to  the  inner  circle.  His  doubts 
were  as  yet  afar  off,  but  one  day  they  would  spring  up  in  alarm, 
startled  by  the  words  of  the  Carpenter  of  Nazareth,  that  would 


THE    OLD   RABBI    GAMALIEL.  69 

pierce  like  flame  and  burn  like  fire.  To-day  he  worshipped  at 
the  feet  of  those  who  spoke  not  the  words  of  God,  but  the  say- 
ings of  men,  and  his  parents  would  not  wonder  if  he  lingered  long 
among  the  listening  crowds. 

Not  until  the  crimson  shades  of  evening  had  deepened  on  the 
roof  of  gold,  not  until  the  warning  trumpets  of  the  priests  had 
proclaimed  the  closing  one  after  another  of  the  great  temple 
gates,  would  Paul  withdraw  from  those  pillars  and  arches,  that 
were  to  him  the  very  house  of  God. 


The  Old   Rabbi   Gamaliel. 

JERUSALEM:    AGED   15-30. 

THE  sun  set  in  crimson  curtains  over  the  mountains  of  Samaria, 
and  Paul  had  spent  his  first  long  day  in  the  temple.  He 
had  seen  the  grey  smoke  streaming  upward  from  the  morning 
sacrifice,  and  streaming  again  at  the  evening,  ere  the  clouds  were 
ruddy.  From  the  opening  to  the  closing  of  the  golden  gates  the 
day  seemed  but  an  hour,  and  the  longing  of  his  heart  was  satis- 
fied. Hitherto  he  had  sung  of  the  temple  courts,  but  that  day 
his  feet  had  stood  within  them.  Hitherto  he  had  recited  about 
the  crowds  that  gathered  there,  but  that  day  he  had  mingled 
with  them.  Hitherto  he  had  worshipped  in  far-off  Tarsus,  with 
his  face  turned  towards  the  temple ;  that  day  he  had  worshipped 
in  it.  And  as  he  walked  home  his  mind  was  in  a  whirl  of  excite- 
ment, his  heart  filled  with  exquisite  joy. 

Day  after  day  he  would  go  up  to  Mount  Moriah  in  the  early 
morning  sunshine,  to  gaze  and  wonder  and  worship,  and  return 
in  the  evening  as  the  shadows  of  the  bronze  palm  trees  were 
lengthening  over  the  land,  impressed  ever  more  deeply  with  the 
splendour  and  mystery  of  the  holy  place.  He  had  come  from 
far-distant  Tarsus  to  live  as  a  student  under  the  shadow  of  these 
white  walls,  to  worship  and  to  learn,  so  that  in  after  years  he 
might  be  able  to  say  that  he  knew  and  loved  every  stone  of  its 
buildings,  and  was  familiar  with  all  that  went  on  within  its  walls. 
There  is  no  limit  to  youthful  enthusiasm.  In  these  years  all 
seems  possible,  and  we  lay  our  golden  pathways  into  the  future, 
along  which  we  shall  travel  with  the  ease  of  conquerors.  One 
youth  sees  himself  throned  as  a  genius  of  music,  another  as  a 
commander  of  men,  another  as  a  master  of  science,  another  as  rich 
beyond  dreams ;  and  Paul  saw  himself  a  rabbi,  sitting  on  a  coloured 


70  SLAYING   THE   WHITE    LAMBS. 

mat  amid  the  pillars  of  a  temple  porch,  with  crowds  listeninf^  to 
words  drawn  from  all  the  ages,  and  wondering  at  his  marvellous 
knowledge.  But  sometimes  a  life  is  crossed  by  another  that 
changes  its  whole  course,  and  so  it  would  be  with  him. 

There  were  many  rabbis  in  Jerusalem  from  whom  to  choose 
his  teacher,  but  few  of  their  names  have  come  down  to  us.  His 
father  would  seek  for  a  strict  Pharisee,  who  would  teach  his  son 
the  rules  and  beliefs  of  Phariseeism,  and  warn  him  against  the 
Sadducees ;  and  the  rabbi  chosen  was  called  Gamaliel,  a  learned 
doctor  of  the  law,  of  about  middle  age,  so  highly  thought  of  by 
the  people  that  he  was  called  a  rabban.  He  was  the  son  of 
Kabbi  Simeon,  and  the  grandson  of  the  most  learned  Rabbi 
Hillel,  famous  for  his  kind  and  charitable  mind — a  mind  which 
Gamaliel  seems  to  have  inherited. 

Some  of  the  sayings  of  the  Pabbi  Hillel  are  very  beautiful. 
This  is  one  :  "  What  you  yourself  dislike,  do  not  to  your  neigh- 
bour ;  for  this  is  the  whole  law,  and  everything  else  is  only  its 
application."  Here  is  another:  "He  who  knows  the  law  has 
gained  the  life  to  come." 

Gamaliel  was  a  strict  Pharisee,  but  he  was  not  unkind.  A 
good  many  years  after  this,  when  Peter  was  brought  before  the 
Sanhedrim  for  speaking  about  Jesus,  he  was  for  letting  him  speak, 
as  he  might  have  a  message  from  God.  It  is  said  that  this 
gentle  teacher,  so  unlike  those  by  whom  he  was  surrounded, 
lived  to  a  great  age  ;  so  that  he  must  have  had  the  grief  of  sitting 
in  the  Sanhedrim  that  tried  Paul,  his  own  student,  for  breaking 
through  the  very  rules  and  laws  which  he  had  taught  him. 


Slaying  the  White  Lambs. 

JERUSALEM:    AGED   15-30. 

RABBI  GAMALIEL  belonged  to  the  broad-minded  rabbis 
■  who  followed  what  Rabbi  Hillel  had  taught ;  but  there 
were  others,  narrow  and  severe,  who  followed  the  severe  teach- 
ing of  Pabbi  Shammai,  also  long  since  dead.  He  was  called 
the  Binder,  because  of  the  many  rules  which  he  made  for  his 
followers ;  while  the  kindly  Hillel  was  called  the  Looser. 

Old  Pabbi  Hillel,  the  founder  of  Gamaliel's  teaching,  was  a 
porter  who  carried  burdens ;  and  we  are  told  of  him  that  when 
a  little  boy  he  was  so  poor  that  one  wintry  day  he  had  no  money 
to  pay  the  very  small  coin  that  each  schoolboy  had  to  bring  to 


SLAYING   THE    WHITE    LAMBS.  (fl 

the  schoolmaster.  But  instead  of  going  home,  he  climbed  up  to 
the  window,  which  of  course  had  no  glass,  so  that  he  could  hear 
what  was  being  said,  and  sat  there  listening  and  shivering — for 
snow  was  falling — until  the  teacher  happened  to  look  up,  and  saw 
the  little  fellow,  and  took  him  in  and  warmed  him  by  the  fire. 

We  can  imagine  the  white-haired  Gamaliel  listening  with  a 
pleased  smile  while  Paul's  father  told  him  that  his  bright-eyed 
son  was  a  very  good  lad,  and  had  been  the  best  scholar  at  the 
synagogue  school  at  Tarsus,  and  that  he  wished  him  to  be  one 
of  his  students  and  learn  to  be  a  teacher.  And  Paul  would 
stand  with  his  grey  eyes  fixed  upon  the  grave  face  of  the  old 
rabbi  in  flowing  robes  and  snow-white  turban,  whose  words  of 
instruction  in  years  to  come  were  to  be  as  sacred  to  him  as  the 
Bible  itself. 

During  the  days  which  preceded  the  real  commencement  of 
the  Passover  festival,  Paul  would  hear  the  rabbis  telling  the 
people  that  it  was  the  duty  of  every  Jew,  and  especially  of 
those  who  lived  within  fifteen  miles  of  Jerusalem,  to  come  every 
year  to  this  festival,  and  that  women  and  children  might  come, 
and  that  they  must  come  joyfully,  dressed  in  their  best  clothes, 
and  with  presents  in  their  hands.  He  would  hear  them  say  that 
all  dead  bodies  should  be  buried,  and  all  gravestones  whitewashed 
a  month  before,  so  that  no  pilgrim  might  touch  them,  as  that 
would  make  them  impure,  and  unfit  to  attend ;  and  that  all  the 
roads  and  bridges  should  be  mended  for  the  pilgrims  to  pass 
over.  He  would  hear  also  that  all  shepherds  and  farmers  must 
tithe  their  sheep  and  cattle — that  is,  make  them  pass  through  a 
gate,  and  touch  every  tenth  one  with  a  stick  dipped  in  red  paint, 
as  a  mark  that  it  was  to  go  to  the  priests. 

He  would  also  hear  that  it  was  the  duty  of  all  persons  who 
had  been  near  a  dead  body,  or  had  had  a  baby,  or  had  been 
cured  of  leprosy,  to  come  to  the  temple  fourteen  days  before, 
and  tell  the  priests,  and  offer  sacrifices,  and  wash  and  bathe, 
and  give  gifts,  before  they  w^ould  be  declared  clean,  and  allowed 
to  mingle  with  the  people  in  the  open  courts ;  for  no  one  who 
was  what  was  called  Levitically  unclean  must  go  into  the  temple. 
And  he  would  be  reminded  again  and  again  of  the  old  story 
of  the  first  Passover  in  Egypt ;  and  some  rabbis  would  say  that 
the  coming  of  spring,  with  its  buds  and  flowers,  was  itself  a 
time  for  rejoicing,  when  the  rains  of  God  and  His  sunshine  had 
caused  the  grain  to  sprout  through  the  brown  earth,  and  the  green 
leaves  to  flutter  on  the  trees.  And  some  of  the  little  boys  in 
the  temple  would  feel  more  interest  in  these  than  in  what  had 
happened  to  the  Israelites  in  Egypt  so  very  long  ago. 


72  SLAYING   THE    WHITE    LAMBS. 

The  festival  was  held  at  the  full  moon,  and  as  the  day  ap- 
proached, Paul  saw  such  crowds  of  people  in  the  city,  and  camped 
outside  the  walls,  and  on  the  side  of  OUvet,  that  he  wondered  how 
they  could  all  get  into  the  temple ;  while  the  flocks  of  sheep  and 
herds  of  cattle  were  more  than  he  could  count. 

On  Passover  eve  he  went  to  the  temple  with  his  father  to 
have  their  little  white  lamb  examined  by  the  priest,  and  saw  the 
pillars  and  walls  gaily  hung  with  carpets,  rugs,  and  bright-coloured 
curtains ;  and  when  the  evening  sun  was  setting  over  the  sea,  he 
stood  in  the  priests'  court,  amid  a  vast  throng  of  people,  with 
the  gates  shut,  patiently  waiting  for  the  time  between  the  sun- 
down and  the  dark.  At  length  the  silver  trumpets  sounded, 
and  glittering  knives  were  raised  to  kill  the  thousands  of  lambs 
which  the  men  had  brought  in  on  their  shoulders;  while  the 
priests  caught  the  blood  in  bowls  of  silver  and  gold,  and  handed 
it  from  one  to  another  in  a  long  row  towards  the  great  altar, 
at  the  foot  of  which  it  was  poured  in  a  red  stream.  This  was 
thought  to  be  pleasing  to  God,  but  we  think  it  horrible  and  re- 
volting. Above  the  noise  of  the  bleating  lambs  rose  the  psalm 
of  the  Levite  choir  singing  on  the  white  steps  of  the  women's 
court,  while  at  every  pause  the  people  answered  in  loud  shouts, 
«  Praised  be  the  Lord  1 " 

The  lambs  were  quickly  skinned  and  hung  up  on  golden  hooks 
and  cut  to  pieces,  the  priests  keeping  a  part  to  burn  upon  the 
altar,  and  giving  the  rest  back  to  the  men  to  take  home  for  their 
Passover  supper.  Coming  out  of  the  court,  he  saw  thousands 
crowding  to  get  in,  and  it  was  at  once  filled  by  a  second  throng 
with  lambs  to  kill;  for  the  work  of  killing  and  singing  went 
on  until  the  last  man  had  shouldered  his  lamb,  to  go  down  to  the 
city  and  roast  and  eat  it  with  his  wife  and  children.  And  as  there 
were  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  lambs  killed  on  that 
evening,  the  marble  floor  of  the  temple  court  would  require  a  good 
deal  of  water  to  cleanse  it  of  the  horrid  stains. 

Paul  did  not  think  the  slaying  horrid  or  like  the  temples  of 
idols,  but  rejoiced  as  he  ate  his  first  Passover  supper  in  Jeru- 
salem ;  and  his  mother  would  be  glad  that  he  had  been  in  the 
temple  on  the  great  Passover  eve,  to  see  what  no  woman  was 
allowed  to  see.  It  was  a  scene  which  only  men  could  endure  and 
priests  maintain ;  for  it  was  a  source  of  great  gain  to  the  ten 
thousand  priests  and  Levites  who  served  there.  But  there  were 
men  who  thought  it  barbarous  and  degrading,  and  believed  that 
instead  of  heaping  the  great  altar  with  the  flesh  of  beasts,  a 
better  offering  to  God  would  be  the  humble  service  of  a  life 
spent  in  faithfully  doing  His  will.    And  the  day  was  coming  when 


CUTTING    THE    FIRST    SHEAF.  73 

Jesus  would  say  this  in  these  temple  courts,  and  at  that  very 
festival. 

There  was  no  sleep  for  Paul  that  night,  for  the  moonlit  streets 
were  filled  with  people  coming  from  and  going  to  the  temple.  As 
soon  as  the  courts  were  cleansed  of  the  blood,  the  gates  were 
opened  again,  and  lamps  lit,  for  the  people  to  come  up  and  give 
gifts  to  the  priests,  in  the  joy  and  fullness  of  their  hearts ;  and 
their  gifts  were  called  thank-offerings. 

The  temple  was  crowded  all  night  long,  and  the  stars  looked 
down  upon  slaughter,  blood,  and  fire  in  the  open  courts.  The 
temple  lamps  were  dim  and  the  candles  thick  with  smoke  when 
the  yellow  dawn  came  over  the  mountains  of  Moab,  but  the 
work  of  slaying,  burning,  feasting  was  going  on  still  ;  for  it 
was  kept  up  all  the  next  day,  so  that  all  the  people  might  have 
opportunity  to  offer  sacrifices  and  give  gifts — a  work  which  the 
priests  did  not  care  to  shorten. 


Cutting:  the   First  Sheaf. 

JERUSALEM  :    AGED  15-30. 

YOU  may  wonder  how  the  temple  was  kept  clean  when  so 
many  lambs  and  bullocks  were  being  killed  ;  but  on  that 
night  there  would  be  a  thousand  priests  and  Levites  and  servants 
at  work.  They  had  a  plentiful  supply  of  water  also,  brought 
from  the  distant  hills  of  Hebron  by  King  Solomon's  water-course, 
to  wash  the  pavements  clean,  and  send  the  scourings  down  into 
the  brook  Kedron. 

After  the  Passover  came  the  seven  days  of  unleavened  bread  ; 
for  the  cakes  which  the  Israelites  ate  when  they  fled  out  of  Egypt 
had  no  leaven  in  them,  because  Ijhey  had  no  time  to  bake  them 
rightly.  The  rabbis  were  now  so  particular,  that  the  women  had 
to  grind  the  flour  in  a  covered  mill,  and  bring  the  water  in  a 
covered  dish,  lest  any  leaven  might  blow  in ;  and  the  iron  pan 
had  to  be  heated  red-hot,  to  make  sure  that  it  was  pure,  before 
they  might  bake  with  it.  The  cakes  must  be  served  on  new 
dishes,  and  they  who  ate  them  must  first  cut  their  hair  and 
nails  and  take  a  bath.  And  Paul  would  do  all  this,  for  the  rabbis 
had  said  it  must  be  done.  And  so  you  see  what  trouble  the  rabbis 
sought  to  put  the  people  to,  all  over  such  a  simple  matter  as 
baking  and  eating  a  small,  thin  cake ;  but  I  very  much  doubt  if 
the  people  did  as  they  were  told. 


74  CUTTING    THE    FIRST    SHEAF. 

Paul  saw  the  cutting  of  the  first  barley  sheaf,  when  the  elders 
of  the  Sanhedrim  went  across  the  Kedron  bridge  in  the  evening, 
with  sickles  in  their  hands  and  willow  baskets  on  their  arms,  to 
the  yellow  barley-field  beyond,  where  they  stood  until  the  red  sun 
had  sunk  behind  the  western  hills.  Turning  to  the  people,  they 
asked, — 

"  Has  the  sun  gone  down  1 " 

"  Yes,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Into  this  basket  1 "  holding  up  a  white  willow  basket. 

"  Yes,"  the  people  shouted. 

"On  this  Sabbath  day?" 

"  Yes,"  was  again  the  loud  answer. 

*'  Shall  I  reap  1 "  holding  up  the  sickle. 

"  Yes,"  came  louder  than  ever. 

Going  over  to  three  bundles  of  barley  that  had  been  tied  neatly 
together,  the  old  men  cut  them  so  that  they  fell  into  three  white 
baskets.  With  shouts  and  songs  of  joy  Paul  saw  them  walking 
back  into  the  city  and  up  to  the  temple,  where  the  grain  was 
threshed  and  ground  till  the  flour  was  fine  enough,  and  then  it 
was  baked  with  oil  in  a  gold  dish. 

This  is  the  strange  way  it  was  presented  next  day.  It  was 
put  into  a  gold  dish,  and  frankincense  scattered  over  it ;  then  a 
man  held  it  up  to  the  priest  at  the  altar,  who  caught  his  hands 
and  waved  the  dish  about  before  taking  it  and  putting  a  handful 
upon  the  fire.  And  that  was  called  a  wave-ofiering.  It  would  have 
been  nicer  to  have  shaken  out  the  sheaf  upon  the  altar,  and  made 
a  blaze  that  would  have  lighted  up  the  court  for  a  few  seconds. 
It  was  all  very  solemn  to  Paul,  because  the  rabbis  said  it  must 
be  done  in  that  strange  way ;  but  if  you  had  asked  him  what 
good  it  would  do,  I  am  sure  he  could  not  have  told  you.  He 
could  tell  you,  however,  that  the  people  were  not  allowed  to  bake 
with  new  flour  until  that  ofli*ering  had  been  made  ;  and  then  the 
streets  of  the  city  echoed  at  once  with  the  cheerful  cries  of  the 
sellers  of  cakes  and  loaves,  made  out  of  that  year's  barley,  which 
they  must  have  had  ready,  and  only  waiting  for  a  signal  from  the 
temple. 

The  next  three  days  were  spent  by  the  country  people  in 
buying  and  selling  in  the  bazaars;  and  some  of  the  shopkeepers 
thought  it  was  the  best  time  of  the  whole,  for  then  they  made 
money. 


THE    MORNING    SACRIFICE.  76 

The  Morning  Sacrifice. 

JERUSALEM  :    AGED  15-30. 

THERE  were  twenty  thousand  priests,  and  as  many  more  Le- 
vites,  servants,  and  temple  soldiers  who  lived  in  and  near 
Jerusalem.  The  Levites  were  the  singers,  musicians,  gatekeepers, 
guards,  and  officers,  and  they  and  the  priests  were  divided  into 
tAventy-four  bands,  with  a  chief  priest  over  each ;  and  as  they 
had  only  to  serve  two  weeks  in  each  year,  they  were  not  over- 
worked, except  at  the  great  festivals,  when  all  had  to  be  there. 

Every  night,  when  the  people  had  gone  out  of  the  temple, 
and  the  outer  gates  were  locked,  the  priests  met,  and  the  keys 
were  given  to  those  who  were  to  watch  that  night.  After  the 
pavements  and  dishes  were  cleansed  and  ready  for  next  day,  the 
inner  doors  were  locked,  and  the  keys  hidden  under  a  marble 
slab,  on  which  a  priest  slept,  kissing  it  before  he  lay  down.  Then 
the  watch  of  priests,  Levites,  and  townsmen  was  set  upon  the  high 
walls  and  in  hiding-places  below,  to  sit  in  perfect  quiet,  for  they 
had  to  say  that  not  a  sound  had  broken  the  silence  of  the  vast 
place. 

Each  morning,  just  before  the  dawn,  the  captain  and  priests 
took  the  keys,  and  with  torches  examined  every  door,  to  see  that 
nothing  had  been  touched.  While  they  were  doing  this,  other 
priests  were  bathing,  dressing,  and  drawing  lots  for  who  was  to 
be  the  chief  priest  of  the  day,  for  that  was  the  only  way  to  pre- 
vent them  quarrelling  over  it.  Three  trumpet  blasts  gave  the 
signal  for  the  singers,  musicians,  and  priests  to  go  to  their  places, 
while  the  watchers  on  the  walls  looked  to  the  east,  and  the  chief 
priest  went  up  the  sloping  pavement  to  the  great  whitewashed 
altar  with  the  bright-red  line  round  it,  to  stir  up  the  smouldering 
fire,  which  was  never  allowed  to  go  out.  ISTot  far  from  him  was 
the  sea  of  brass,  that  had  been  filled  by  machinery. 

A  voice  came  down  from  the  dusk  of  one  of  the  towers, — 

"  The  morning  already  shines." 

"  Is  the  sky  lit  up  as  far  as  Hebron  ? "  was  the  question  from 
the  court  below. 

"  The  whole  sky  is  lit  up  as  far  as  Hebron,"  was  the  reply. 

A  lamb  was  led  out  and  tied  to  a  gold  ring  of  the  altar,  and 
the  order  was  given  to  open  the  outside  gates,  and  three  blasts 
from  the  trumpeters  were  heard  over  in  the  city.  Then  the 
inner  gates  were  opened,  the  lamb  killed,  its  blood  sprinkled  on 
the  sides  of  the  white  altar,  and  its  body  burned  on  the  top,  and 
people  could  enter  the  temple. 


76  THE    MORNING   SACRIFICE. 

Then  Paul  saw  priests  going  up  the  white  marble  steps  to 
the  holy  place  above,  that  shone  with  blocks  of  gold,  and  dis- 
appear behind  the  beautiful  curtain,  to  trim  the  lamps  of  the 
candlestick  and  the  little  altar  fire,  and  come  out  again,  walking 
backwards.  Others,  carrying  a  silver  pan  of  incense  and  a  gold 
pan  of  coal,  went  up,  and  he  heard  a  great  gong  sounding  for  the 
priests  and  the  people  to  gather.  At  a  sign  from  the  chief  priest 
the  people  knelt  down,  with  hands  spread  out,  upon  the  coloured 
pavement,  their  heads  bowed  in  prayer,  while  the  priests  went  in 
behind  the  veil  and  threw  incense  on  red  coals  until  clouds  of 
sweet-smelling  smoke  filled  the  holy  place.  Again  they  came  out 
backwards  on  the  top  of  the  steps,  lifting  up  their  hands  as  the 
curtain  fell  into  its  place,  and  saying, — 

The  Lord  bless  thee,  and  keep  thee. 

A  hoarse  murmur  rose  from  the  court  below,  of  thousands  of 
voices  saying  together, — 

Blessed  be  the  God  of  Israel 
For  ever  and  ever. 

Priests  went  up  to  the  great  altar  with  sacrifices  of  flesh  and 
biead,  to  be  burned  in  the  large  fire  of  wood;  and  of  wine,  which 
they  poured  into  a  silver  funnel  to  run  into  a  tank  below.  What 
became  of  it  Paul  did  not  know ;  but  if  it  were  wise  to  save  the 
wine,  it  would  have  been  wise  also  to  have  saved  the  fiesh  and 
bread,  for  there  were  many  poor  persons  in  the  city  to  whom  it 
would  have  been  a  welcome  gift. 

Then  came  the  temple  music  and  singing,  with  processions  and 
responses.  The  priests  stood  beside  the  great  altar,  with  silver 
trumpets  in  their  hands,  and  blowing  them  all  together,  they 
marched  towards  others  who  beat  cymbals.  The  choir  of  Levites 
and  sweet-voiced  boys,  standing  on  the  white  steps  with  their 
backs  to  the  people,  began  the  psalm  for  the  day,  accompanied 
by  flutes,  pipes,  throbbing  harps,  psalteries,  tambourines,  bells, 
hand-drums,  and  other  strange  instruments,  making  a  loud  noise 
which  we  would  not  think  very  sweet  or  harmonious.  Three 
blasts  on  the  silver  trumpets  marked  the  end  of  each  part,  and 
then  all  the  people  bowed  down  and  worshipped,  with  their  faces 
towards  the  holy  place ;  and  this  is  part  of  what  they  sang  : — 

Sing  aloud  to  God  our  strength,  and  make  a  joyful  noise. 
Sing  the  psalm  ;  strike  the  cymbal,  harp,  and  psaltery. 
Blow  up  the  trumpet  to  the  new  moon. 
It  is  a  law  for  Israel,  and  a  command  of  God. 


TAKING   DOWN    THE    STRIPED    TENTS.  77 

A  long  blast  upon  the  trumpets  told  that  the  morning  service 
was  over,  which  had  lasted  from  an  hour  before  the  dawn  till  two 
hours  after. 

What  boy  would  not  be  carried  away  by  such  a  service,  and 
such  multitudes  joining  in  it?  Trained  to  worship  the  very  stones 
of  the  place,  Paul  would  stand  thrilled  with  what  was  going  on 
around  him  ;  and  when  the  time  came  for  silent  prayer,  among  all 
the  thousands  kneeling  there  not  one  would  utter  one  of  deeper 
earnestness  than  the  unknown  youth  from  Tarsus. 


Taking  down  the  Striped  Tents. 

JERUSALEM  :    AGED   15-30. 

WHEN  Paul  went  to  the  evening  sacrifice  in  the  temple,  the 
service  ended  just  as  the  red  sun  went  down  over  the  bare 
Judean  hills.  The  priests  took  off  their  soiled  white  robes,  putting 
sandals  on  their  bare  feet,  and  sitting  down  to  a  supper,  while 
bands  of  fresh  priests  came  in  to  take  their  places. 

They  feasted  and  talked  together  in  their  well-lit  chambers,  and 
Paul  went  down  into  the  dark  streets  of  the  crowded  city,  so  full 
of  toil,  poverty,  and  misery,  thinking  how  small  and  wicked  was 
the  life  of  a  common  man  compared  with  that  of  a  priest  up  in 
yonder  golden  temple,  who  seemed  to  stand  so  much  nearer  to  God. 
For  he  had  yet  to  learn  that  the  poorest  beggar  who  lifts  his 
eyes  to  our  Father  in  heaven  draws  as  near  Him  as  the  priest 
who  goes  behind  the  great  blue  curtain,  and  who  would  order  any 
man  to  be  slain  who  tried  to  follow. 

While  Paul  slept,  the  silent  temple  was  watched  by  armed  and 
sleepless  men,  standing  at  twenty-four  fixed  places  ;  and  four  times 
in  the  night  the  captain  went  round,  and  every  watcher  had  to  rise 
and  answer.  And  woe  betide  the  man  who  was  found  asleep  !  for 
he  would  be  wakened  by  his  thin  linen  robe  being  set  on  fire  with 
a  torch,  or  else  with  blows  from  a  cudgel. 

The  seventh  day  of  the  Passover  festival  was  kept  as  a  strict 
Sabbath,  and  the  people  were  commanded  to  do  no  work ;  but  it 
was  not  kept  so  in  the  temple.  They  made  one  rule  for  the  people 
and  another  for  themselves  ;  but  the  day  was  coming  when  the 
people  would  see  through  this,  and  refuse  to  obey. 

On  that  evening  two  priests  with  great  solemnity  went  in 
behind  the  beautiful  blue  curtain,  bearing  new  cakes  of  shew- 
bread,  to  place  upon  the  golden  table  in  front  of  the  inner  curtain, 


78  TAKING    DOWN   THE    STRIPED   TENTS. 

and  to  bring  the  old  cakes  away,  to  be  divided  amongst  certain  of 
the  priests,  who  were  highly  favoured  in  being  allowed  to  eat  it. 

Next  day  Paul's  first  great  festival  in  Jerusalem  came  to  an 
end ;  and  because  it  was  the  last  day,  the  people  were  told  not  to 
come  to  the  temple  empty-handed,  which  meant  that  they  were  to 
bring  more  money,  and  fling  it  into  the  brass  trumpets,  for  the 
good  of  the  services  and  the  priests.  And  as  he  left  the  temple 
courts,  he  felt  as  if  the  golden  glory  of  the  setting  sun  upon  the 
hills  was  as  nothing  to  the  glory  of  that  temple,  for  which  he 
would  gladly  lay  down  his  life.  Before  him  lay,  not  an  in- 
stant of  splendid  heroism,  but  years  of  drudgery,  slowly  heaping 
up  a  mountain  of  sand  to  crumble  under  his  feet.  The  crowds 
in  the  city  streets  grew  less  as  band  after  band  of  the  pilgrims 
camped  outside  took  down  their  tents  of  black,  and  brown,  and 
striped  yellow,  and  green.  Packing  up  their  pots  and  pans,  their 
bags  of  food  and  clothing,  and  tying  their  bundles  of  tent  poles 
and  covers  on  the  asses'  backs,  he  saw  them  slowly  winding  up  the 
side  of  Olivet,  singing  as  they  went,  and  waving  branches  as  they 
disappeared  on  their  long  march  back  to  the  villages  of  Palestine 
and  the  cities  of  far-distant  Asia.  His  father  and  mother  would 
leave  with  the  Tarsus  pilgrims,  and  he  would  go  out  a  part  of  the 
way  with  them  ;  and  after  fond  kisses  from  his  weeping  mother, 
and  a  solemn  blessing  from  his  father,  he  would  turn,  with  a  lump 
in  his  throat  and  tears  in  his  eyes,  to  walk  back  again  to  the  city 
of  his  dreams,  which  was  to  be  his  home  for  years,  and  would  prove 
a  stern  city  for  him. 

Paul  and  the  other  students  would  have  to  be  present  every 
day  at  the  morning  and  evening  sacrifices,  and  each  dawn  would 
find  him  waiting  for  the  opening  of  the  temple  doors.  After  the 
service  he  would  hasten  with  his  young  companions  through  the 
pillars  to  the  winding  stair  in  the  corner  of  the  priests'  court 
leading  up  to  the  hall  of  stones,  with  its  row  of  windows  looking 
out  into  the  court  below.  There  he  would  sit  among  the  followers 
of  Gamaliel — some  younger  than  himself,  others  old  and  with  grey 
hair,  who  had  come  to  listen  and  learn.  His  studies  were  not  like 
those  of  our  colleges,  for  they  largely  consisted  in  listening  to  the 
Rabbi  Gamaliel  whenever  he  spoke  in  the  hall,  or  to  the  people  in 
the  temple  porches  ;  and  if  Paul  wished  information,  he  could  ask 
him  questions  at  the  end.  He  must  not,  however,  dispute  any- 
thing, but  accept  his  words  as  if  they  were  the  Bible. 

Sometimes,  too,  he  would  read  the  Bible  in  the  class,  and 
answer  questions  as  to  what  meaning  the  old  rabbis  put  upon  the 
passage  ;  and  if  he  did  not  answer  aright,  Gamaliel  would  correct 
him.     He  had  still  to  learn  portions  of  the  Bible,  so  as  to  perfect 


ABOUT   WASHING    HANDS.  79 

his  knowledge  of  every  part,  and  also  the  Traditions ;  for  the  rabbis 
said  that  the  Law  was  like  a  green  field,  and  their  Traditions  like  a 
prickly  hedge  around  it.  He  would  also  receive  instruction  how 
to  behave  as  a  strict  Pharisee,  and  how  to  carry  out,  and  teach 
others  to  carry  out,  in  daily  life,  the  thousands  of  rules,  large  and 
small,  although  the  rabbis  themselves  said  it  was  impossible  to 
remember  and  keep  them  all.  Already  they  had  been  called  blind 
leaders  of  a  blind  people  ;  but  Paul  did  not  think  them  so,  although 
there  was  One  living  in  Galilee  who  would  proclaim  it  to  the  world. 


About  Washing   Hands. 

JERUSALEM:    AGED  15-30. 

WE  cannot  follow  the  youthful  student  through  all  his  con- 
fused maze  of  studies ;  but  if  we  were  to  take  all  the  com- 
mands contained  in  the  five  books  of  Moses,  and  multiply  them 
fifty  times  over,  we  should  not  even  then  have  a  clear  idea  of 
what  lay  before  him.  If  Gamaliel  went  over  the  Law  in  any 
kind  of  order,  he  would  tell  them  what  one  rabbi  said  and  another 
rabbi  said,  taking  care  to  support  the  views  of  his  gentle  grand- 
father Rabbi  Hillel,  and  to  deprecate  the  harsh  sayings  of  Rabbi 
Shammai  and  his  followers.  And  Paul  would  hear  again  that  his 
only  hope  of  happiness  in  this  world  was  in  knowing  and  keeping 
the  whole  religious  Law  and  the  Traditions. 

When  Gamaliel  spoke  of  the  books  of  the  Prophets,  he  would 
tell  them  of  the  good  work  which  these  ancient  writers  had  done 
for  their  nation,  and  of  thousands  of  meanings  which  the  rabbis 
attached  to  their  writings.  When  he  spoke  of  the  books  of  the 
Writings,  he  would  tell  them  many  strange  stories  that  had  come 
down  through  the  centuries ;  for  the  rabbis  had  fixed  the  birth, 
death,  age,  appearance,  and  trade  of  every  one  named  in  these 
books. 

And  when  he  spoke  of  the  life  of  a  Pharisee,  he  would  say  that 
the  scribes  were  the  lawyers  and  judges,  and  had  to  learn  and  know 
not  only  all  the  civil  crimes,  like  murder  and  theft,  and  their  pun- 
ishments, but  also  all  the  religious  offences  against  the  Law  and  the 
Traditions,  and  what  punishment  was  attached  to  them,  and  how 
pardon  could  be  obtained  from  the  priests.  A  scribe  had  also  to 
know  about  the  festivals,  and  how  they  were  to  be  kept  in  the 
temple  and  in  the  synagogues,  and  the  different  kinds  of  sacrifices 
and  offerings ;  and  even  then  he  had  not  touched  the  wide  field 


80  ABOUT   WASHING    HANDS. 

of  purifications.  And  Paul  would  be  deeply  interested  in  hearing 
Gamaliel's  instruction  about  how  a  strict  Pharisee  must  behave  in 
walking  in  the  streets,  in  sleeping,  eating,  washing,  dressing ;  how 
he  must  wear  his  phylacteries,  and  pray  at  different  times  of  the 
day  and  night ;  and  what  he  must  do  to  get  right  again  if  he  found 
that  he  had  broken  some  of  these  countless  rules  of  behaviour. 

And  thus  we  can  picture  the  youthful  student  striving  day 
after  day  to  carry  out  what  he  was  taught,  and  ever  winding  round 
himself  more  and  more  of  the  bonds  of  tradition  as  explained 
by  Gamaliel ;  for  he  was  determined  to  be  a  blameless  Pharisee. 
He  was  troubled  with  anxiety  about  such  trifles  as  hand-washings 
and  dish-washings — things  which  give  us  no  concern — for  he  be- 
lieved they  could  make  him  good  or  bad.      Here  is  an  example : — 

"  When  you  rise  from  your  bed,  it  is  not  lawful  to  move  more 
than  four  steps  till  you  have  washed  your  hands  and  your  face, 
to  cleanse  you  from  the  defilement  of  sleep.  It  is  also  unlawful 
to  touch  any  part  of  your  body  till  this  has  been  done.  And 
thus  you  must  wash  :  Lift  the  jug  with  your  right  hand,  and 
pass  it  to  your  left ;  then  pour  the  water,  which  must  be  clear  and 
cold,  twice  over  the  open  fingers  of  your  right  hand,  which  must 
be  pointed  to  the  ground,  then  over  your  left  hand — washing 
your  face  three  times.  Then  place  the  palms  of  your  hands 
together,  with  fingers  outspread,  and  say,  '  Blessed  art  Thou,  O 
God,  King  of  the  universe,  who  hast  purified  us  through  Thy 
commandments,  and  hast  required  us  to  wash  our  hands.'"  We 
can  picture  him  practising  this  every  morning,  until  he  was  able  to 
wash  as  a  strict  Pharisee  should. 

He  had  to  wash  his  hands  in  a  difierent  manner  before  and 
after  food,  on  going  into  his  house,  and  before  certain  prayers; 
for  however  Hillel  and  Shammai  might  differ  about  other  things, 
they  were  agreed  that  washing  of  hands,  pots,  dishes,  knives,  and 
tables  was  one  of  the  most  important  things  for  a  Pharisee.  They 
had  also  many  rules  about  the  kind  of  water  that  could  be  used, 
whether  from  a  pool,  a  well,  a  cistern,  or  a  stream;  and  while 
some  said  that  melted  ice,  hoar-frost,  snow,  or  hail  would  do, 
others  said  no :  and  thus  a  Pharisee  might  wash  his  hands  and 
find  afterwards  that  he  had  used  forbidden  water,  and  was  im- 
pure, and  would  have  to  take  a  lot  of  trouble  to  make  himself 
right  again. 

This  may  seem  very  trifling  to  you,  but  it  was  no  trifle  to 
Paul,  for  a  great  rabbi  had  said  that  the  man  who  did  not  wash 
his  hands  after  food  was  as  bad  as  a  murderer. 


HOW   TO    BE    A    PHARISEE.  81 

How  to  be  a   Pharisee, 

JERUSALEM:    AGED  15-30. 

OUR  English  Sabbath,  with  its  rest  from  work,  its  church- 
going  and  Bible-reading,  had  its  beginning  in  the  Jewish 
Sabbath,  and  owes  its  liberty  and  beauty  to  the  teaching  of  Jesus ; 
but  when  Gamaliel  spoke  of  it  to  Paul  and  his  fellow-students, 
it  was  to  tell  them  of  hundreds  of  rules  with  which  it  was  sur- 
rounded, until  it  was  no  longer  a  day  of  joy  and  rest,  but  one  of 
bondage. 

Paul  learned  that  he  must  not  walk  more  than  half  a  mile 
on  that  day,  or  carry  anything,  even  in  his  pockets,  or  wear 
shoes,  slippers,  or  boots,  but  only  sandals ;  that  he  must  not  tie 
a  sandal  except  with  one  knot,  or  light  or  put  out  a  fire,  or 
help  any  one  who  had  been  hurt,  but  he  might  pull  an  ass  out  of 
a  well.  He  must  not  pluck  an  ear  of  grain,  or  rub  it  between  his 
hands,  for  that  would  be  to  reap  and  thresh.  These  Sabbath  rules 
he  believed  were  right  and  holy ;  but  Jesus  would  tell  the  people 
that  they  were  foolish,  and  had  nothing  to  do  with  being  good 
or  bad. 

When  it  came  to  the  matter  of  what  food  he  might  eat,  and 
what  it  would  be  wrong  for  him  even  to  touch,  he  was  told  of 
many  strange  and  irksome  rules  that  he  had  to  keep — rules  which 
gave  him  a  great  deal  of  trouble  in  after  years,  when  he  began  to 
see  how  foolish  they  all  were,  and  which  his  Jewish  friends  thought 
it  very  wicked  of  him  to  break.  He  was  told  of  animals  which 
he  must  not  eat  at  all,  and  of  others  which  he  must  not  eat  unless 
they  had  been  killed  in  a  special  way.  There  were  birds  and  fish, 
too,  which  he  must  not  eat ;  but  he  could  take  fruit  and  vegetables 
of  all  kinds,  and  that  was  a  good  thing  in  that  hot  country.  He 
durst  not  eat  beef  or  mutton  killed  as  ours  is,  or  pork,  for  if  he 
did  he  would  be  called  impure ;  and  he  was  told  that  any  one  who 
ate  beef  with  the  blood  in  it  was  to  be  put  to  death. 

He  was  also  told  by  his  old  teacher  how  to  make  long  prayers 
like  the  rabbis,  who  recited  pieces  of  the  Bible,  and  repeated 
prayers  which  had  been  made  by  rabbis  of  long  ago.  He  learned, 
too,  how  to  stand,  hold  his  hands,  and  bend  his  body  when  praying, 
and  the  different  prayers  to  be  said  on  festival  and  fasting  days, 
at  the  new  moons  and  the  new  year,  at  marriages,  and  on  Sabbaths 
and  week  days ;  and  that  he  must  learn  all  the  prayers  for  the  day 
and  night,  and  be  able  to  use  them  rightly,  and  teach  others  to 
do  so. 

(1,040)  6 


82  HOW   TO    BE    A    PHAKISEE. 

And  so,  under  Gamaliel's  guidance,  Paul  went  daily  deeper 
into  the  endless  maze  of  the  rules  and  the  traditions  with  which 
the  rabbis  bound  all  who  came  under  their  influence ;  ever  learn- 
ing and  repeating,  with  no  time  left  for  reflection  as  to  what  he 
himself  thought  he  should  say  and  do,  which,  after  all,  is  far  more 
important  than  learning  the  thoughts  of  others.  And  one  day 
he  would  know  his  error,  but  not  until  Jesus  showed  him  it. 

He  was  not  a  Jew  of  Jerusalem,  but  of  Asia,  and  his  dress 
would  be  that  of  a  traveller  and  workman  who  had  to  face  wind 
and  sunshine,  rain,  heat,  and  cold.  On  week-days,  a  long  tunic, 
in  broad  stripes  of  different  colours,  clothed  him  from  neck  to 
feet,  bound  in  at  the  waist  by  a  broad  shawl  or  sash  going 
twice  round  his  body,  and  forming  a  girdle  in  which  he  could  carry 
things,  for  he  had  no  pockets.  Over  his  shoulders,  in  cold  weather 
or  in  rain,  he  wore  a  thick,  dark-coloured  cloak  hanging  open  in 
front.  Over  it  was  his  praying  shawl,  with  the  blue  tassels  at  the 
corners  ;  but  it  was  partly  hidden  by  a  striped  kerchief  on  his  head, 
folded  so  as  to  shade  his  face  and  ears  and  hang  down  behind, 
and  kept  in  its  place  by  a  cord  bound  round  his  brow.  His 
black  hair  was  quite  hidden,  and  when  the  sunshine  was  bright 
he  drew  this  kerchief  forward,  until  it  hung  round  his  dusky  face 
and  shaded  his  bright  grey  eyes,  that  looked  out  with  quick  and 
piercing  glances,  so  different  from  the  dark,  dreamy  eyes  of  so 
many  of  the  Jerusalem  Pharisees,  whose  desire  was  that  they 
should  be  considered  so  full  of  good  thoughts  that  they  saw 
nothing  of  what  was  going  on  in  the  world  around  them. 

These  town  Pharisees  were  so  fond  of  making  pretences  that 
the  boys  of  Jerusalem  had  nicknames  for  them.  Some  they  called 
"  Tumbling  Pharisees,"  because  they  went  with  their  heads  bent 
down,  so  that  they  could  not  see  where  they  were  going,  and  so 
tumbled  over  things.  Others  they  called  "  Bleeding  Pharisees," 
because  they  went  with  their  eyes  shut,  lest  they  should  see  a 
woman,  which,  they  said,  would  make  them  impure,  and  so  they 
bled  their  noses  against  walls  and  posts.  Others  were  "Cap 
Pharisees,"  because  they  pulled  a  cap  over  their  eyes,  that  they 
might  not  see  bad  things.  And  others  were  called  "What-can- 
I-do-more  Pharisees,"  who  said  they  kept  the  whole  Law — but 
nobody  believed  them. 

Paul  was  not  one  of  these,  but  he  was  foolish  enough  in  many 
things  he  did.  When  passing  persons  in  the  street,  he  kept 
wide  of  them,  or  pulled  his  cloak  to  one  side,  lest  his  dress  might 
touch  theirs,  which,  he  said,  would  make  him  impure  if  they 
happened  not  to  be  keepers  of  the  Law,  as  he  was.  And,  more 
foolish  still,  he  considered  women  should  not  be  taught  the  Law,  as 


ZION    HILL   AND   THE    CITY    GATES.  83 

they  were  not  fit  for  such  high  things ;  and  he  would  not  look 
at  a  woman,  or  speak  to  one  on  the  street.  And  we  find  that 
even  in  later  life  he  had  ideas  and  said  things  about  women 
which  we  now  think  foolish  and  unjust.  For  we  have  learned 
from  Jesus  that  not  only  are  women  as  good  as,  but  usually 
better  than  men ;  although  the  youthful  Paul  did  not  think  so  at 
this  time. 


Zion   Hill   and  the   City  Gates. 

JERUSALEM:    AGED   15-30. 

PAUL  had  read  of  the  beauty  of  INIount  Zion  in  many  a 
passage  of  the  Bible,  and  he  had  sung  of  it  in  many  a  song 
and  psalm,  and  now  he  saw  it  daily  from  the  open  courts  of  the 
temple  on  Mount  Moriah ;  for  Zion  was  a  higher  hill,  across  the 
deep  and  narrow  Tyropean  valley,  spanned  by  a  high  bridge, 
which  joined  both  sides  of  the  city,  and  formed  a  road  for  the 
priests  over  to  the  temple.  The  houses  and  palaces  of  the  rich 
were  there,  and  it  was  called  also  the  city  of  King  David ;  but  in 
recent  years  the  great  King  Herod  had  built  towers  and  palaces, 
partly  for  beauty,  partly  for  his  own  safety,  that  made  it  look 
grander  still.  As  Paul  looked  up  at  it,  he  saw  three  great  towers, 
built  of  massive  squares  of  white  marble  :  one  called  Hippicus, 
after  Herod's  friend  ;  another  Phasael,  after  his  brother ;  and 
another  Mariamne,  after  his  wife,  whom  he  had  killed — a  miser- 
able monument  of  years  of  cruelty  to  her.  A  little  further  off 
were  Herod's  own  palace  and  wide  gardens,  surrounded  with  high 
walls.  The  pillars  at  the  palace  door  were  of  fine  marble  and 
other  costly  stones,  the  floors  of  coloured  pavement,  the  ceilings 
covered  with  gold — the  finest  palace  that  a  Jewish  king  had  ever 
built ;  and  now  the  Poman  governor  lived  there.  But  Paul  would 
look  with  scornful  eyes  at  this  splendid  castle,  for  Herod  had 
placed  beautiful  statues  in  the  gardens  to  please  his  Roman 
friends — a  thing  which  Paul  believed  to  be  wicked  and  idolatrous. 
But  he  turned  with  different  feelings  to  the  ancient  and  mean- 
looking  palace  of  the  Asmoneans,  for  they  had  been  the  last 
of  the  true  Jewish  kings.  He  saw,  too,  the  high  priest's  palace 
on  Zion,  and  the  new  street  where  goldsmiths  and  silversmiths 
had  their  shops,  who  found  their  customers  among  the  rich  priests 
and  nobles  living  near.  It  was  through  these  streets,  and  from 
palace  to  palace  upon  that  hill  of  kings,  that  Jesus  would  be  led 
not  many  years  hence,  as  a  breaker  of  the  Law  and  the  Traditions, 
which  Paul  now  thought  so  holy. 


84  ZION    HILL    AND   THE    CITY    GATES. 

As  he  looked  round  him  from  the  temple  height  upon  the  city 
of  hills,  he  saw  the  huge  fort  of  Antonio,  called  after  the  Roman 
general  Mark  Antony,  where  the  Roman  governor  of  the  city  kept 
a  strong  guard  of  soldiers,  with  a  private  passage  through  which 
they  could  rush  in  a  few  seconds  into  the  temple  court  itself  to 
stop  any  rioting.  And  he  would  feel  indignant  that  these  for- 
eigners should  have  this  private  way  into  the  temple ;  but  he  did 
not  know  that  he  would  yet  owe  his  life  to  that  very  passage  and 
these  soldiers,  who  would  rescue  him  from  the  fury  of  his  own 
countrymen. 

Beyond  the  hill  of  Acra  was  the  valley  where  men  plied  their 
trades  in  the  bazaars  and  open  markets,  and  where  the  city  coun- 
cillors met.  He  would  know  that  valley  well,  for  he  would  go 
there  to  make  and  sell  his  tents  and  tent-cloth,  and  keep  himself 
in  food,  clothes,  and  lodgings,  as  many  a  poor  student  has  done. 
A  fourth  hill  was  called  the  New  City,  and  as  Paul's  eyes  roamed 
from  hill  to  hill  and  part  to  part,  he  saw  that  there  were  many 
streets,  winding  and  narrow,  to  keep  out  the  sun.  And  when  he 
went  about  the  city,  he  found  these  streets  paved  with  small 
stones,  with  a  raised  footpath  on  each  side,  and  that  he  had  to 
step  down  whenever  he  met  a  great  man ;  and  he  would  hear 
their  names — Water  Street,  Fish  Street,  Bazaar  Street,  and 
many  more. 

Looking  at  the  thick,  high  walls,  that,  with  a  hundred  towers 
upon  them,  went  all  round  the  city,  dividing  houses  within  from 
valleys  outside,  he  believed  that  it  could  never  be  captured,  for 
the  few  small  gates  were  more  like  tunnels  through  the  wall.  It 
was,  indeed,  the  strongest  city  for  defence  in  the  world,  and  yet 
it  had  been  captured  by  the  terrible  Romans.  He  would  not 
always  stay  within  these  massive  walls,  for  he  would  go  out  into 
the  country,  perhaps  to  sell  his  cloth,  perhaps  to  visit  friends.  If 
he  went  out  on  the  north  side,  it  was  through  the  Damascus  Gate ; 
and  he  soon  came  to  w^onderful  tombs  in  the  side  of  the  hill,  where 
the  Jewish  kings  had  been  buried  since  the  days  of  King  David — 
tombs  that  can  be  seen  to  this  day.  If  he  went  out  on  the  east 
side,  it  was  through  the  Jaffa  Gate,  and  along  the  road  that  led  to 
the  great  Mediterranean  Sea,  thirty  miles  distant — the  road  by 
which  the  hated  Romans  came  up  from  their  ships.  If  he  went 
out  on  the  south,  it  was  through  the  Lion  Gate,  at  the  gloomy 
vale  of  Hinnom,  where  he  saw  Tophet,  the  hated  place,  smoulder- 
ing with  fire  and  smoke,  where  the  bones  and  rubbish  of  the 
temple  were  burned  up.  So  hateful  was  the  spot,  where  the 
worms  that  fed  upon  the  rubbish  were  unending  and  the  fire  was 
never  quenched,  that  it  was  like  Gehenna,  or  Hell. 


KEDRON    BRIDGE    AND    OLIVET.  85 

But  when  he  turned  his  face  in  another  direction,  he  saw 
the  sweetest  spot  around  all  Jerusalem — the  Pool  of  Siloam,  that 
bubbled  up  at  the  foot  of  the  city  wall,  and  flowed  softly  through 
the  king's  beautiful  gardens,  in  the  valley  of  Jehoshaphat,  of  silver 
willows,  almonds,  golden  gourds,  and  lilies,  that  were  kept  fresh 
in  hottest  summer  in  this  dark  valley  by  the  winding  stream  from 
the  spring. 

Kedron   Bridge  and   Olivet. 

JERUSALEM:    AGED   15-30. 

WALKING  into  the  country  from  the  south  gate,  Paul  saw 
before  him  the  hills  of  Hebron,  dear  to  all  Jews  because 
of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  who  had  pastured  their  flocks  and 
herds  there.  In  the  vale  of  Etam  were  the  three  large  pools, 
made  by  King  Solomon,  which  supplied  Jerusalem  with  water ; 
and  a  Httle  way  from  the  roadside,  as  he  approached  Bethlehem, 
was  the  small  white  building  that  marked  Rachel's  tomb,  where 
faithful  Jews  turned  aside  to  pray,  as  he  would  do.  If  he  went 
on  to  Bethlehem  on  the  hill,  it  was  to  see  the  town  of  King  David. 
Walking  through  its  narrow  streets,  he  would  not  hear  of  the  Holy 
Child  over  whose  birth  the  angels  sang  of  peace  and  good  will,  but 
only  of  the  shepherd  boy  David,  who  became  king,  and  loved  music 
and  song,  and  battle  and  conquest,  and  was  not  as  good  a  man 
as  Paul  wished  to  be. 

But  he  would  go  more  often  out  by  the  east  gate  than  by  any 
of  the  others,  for  that  opened  upon  the  vale  of  Jehoshaphat,  through 
which  dashed  the  rapid  white  Kedron,  with  the  I^Iount  of  Olives 
beyond.  This  was  the  most  beautiful  side  of  the  city,  and  the 
best  beloved ;  for  the  temple  was  built  upon  the  top  of  the  cliff 
on  that  side,  and  the  beautiful  porch,  with  its  double  row  of  white 
marble  pillars,  roofed  over  with  cedar  wood,  was  there,  whence  the 
people  could  look  down  into  the  wide  vale,  with  its  pleasure  gar- 
dens, its  beautiful  burial-places,  its  winding  stream,  and  over  to 
the  tree-clad  hill  of  Olivet  beyond.  To  this  day  that  spot  is  the 
dearest  place  in  all  the  world  to  Jews,  and  thither  they  go  every 
year  in  thousands  to  pray  and  weep  at  the  foot  of  the  only  bit  of 
the  old  temple  wall  that  is  left  standing. 

The  slopes  of  Olivet  were  green  almost  all  the  year  round 
with  fragrant  myrtle  and  olive,  fir  and  dark-leaved  cypress,  fig 
trees,  almond  trees,  clustering  vines;  and  the  top  of  the  hill  was 
crowned  with  two  old  and  beautiful  cedar  trees,  of  which  the  whole 


86  WHITE    WILLOW    BASKETS. 

city  was  proud.  In  the  valley  were  the  gardens  and  orchards  of 
the  rich  citizens,  where  they  loved  to  walk  over  the  fresh  grass 
and  under  the  trees ;  for  the  shadow  of  the  holy  temple  itself  fell 
upon  them  when  the  sun  sank  low,  and  the  sound  of  the  silver 
trumpets  of  the  priests  pealed  over  them  from  the  temple  courts 
above,  proclaiming  the  hour  of  prayer. 

Thither  Paul  would  go,  to  walk  and  to  meditate  upon  the 
splendour  of  the  temple  and  city,  perhaps  in  a  garden  planted 
with  dark-stemmed  olive  trees,  whose  twinkling  branches  turned 
their  silver  to  the  passing  breeze — trees  through  which  would  move 
at  midnight  the  white-robed  figure,  made  whiter  by  the  sheets  and 
shafts  of  moonlight,  of  One  whose  clear  vision  would  lead  Him  not 
to  rejoice  over  that  city,  but  to  mourn  because  of  the  wrongs  of 
which  it  was  the  centre. 

When  he  went  by  the  road  over  the  shoulder  of  Olivet,  prickly 
hedges  and  rude  stone  walls  protected  the  fruit  gardens  on  each 
side ;  but  the  open  hill  was  free,  stained  and  dyed  in  early  spring 
with  such  brilliant  hues  of  scarlet  and  blue,  of  gold,  green,  and 
white,  by  the  quivering  anemones,  the  large  daisies,  the  yellow 
buttercups  and  tulips,  lilies,  larkspur,  and  a  hundred  other  cups 
and  bells  of  dazzling  flowers,  that  it  was  compared  to  an  Eastern 
carpet  of  sweet  scent. 

As  he  stood  upon  the  top  of  Olivet,  to  look  again  over  the  city 
below  and  beyond  it,  through  glowing  gorges  and  brown  hills,  he 
could  see  the  green  trees  by  the  Jordan  bank,  the  bare  rocks  about 
the  Dead  Sea,  while  the  mountains  of  Moab  shimmered  in  the 
distance  like  a  wall  of  copper.  For  on  this  crest  of  Olivet  the 
signal-fires  were  kindled  that  flashed  the  news  of  the  new  moon 
from  hill  to  hill  across  the  country,  although  the  hated  Samaritans 
lighted  false  tires  to  cheat  the  people.  But  to  a  student  of 
religion  the  roof  of  beaten  gold  over  the  Holy  of  Holies  was 
the  object  in  the  scene  which  moved  his  deepest  feelings,  and 
strengthened  his  resolutions  of  what  he  would  yet  do  for  that  city 
and  yonder  temple. 


White  Willow   Baskets. 

JERUSALEM  :    AGED  15-30. 

THE  golden  temple  was  not  like  a  great  cathedral.  It  was  a 
place  for  sacrifices,  priests,  trumpets,  singing,  and  processions, 
as  well  as  worship,  and  the  priests  said  it  was  the  one  house  where 
God  dwelt.      The  synagogues  were  the  churches   in   Jerusalem 


WHITE    WILLOW   BASKETS.  87 

where  the  people  went  to  worship.  We  are  told  that  there  were 
four  hundred  of  these ;  and  there  certainly  were  a  great  many,  for 
the  Jews  who  came  from  foreign  countries  liked  to  have  a  syna- 
gogue of  their  own  where  they  could  meet  friends,  and  ten  men 
were  enough  to  start  one.  There  they  heard  the  language  which 
they  spoke  and  understood  best,  spoken  by  a  rabbi  and  a  reader 
whom  they  knew  and  liked. 

They  were  generally  called  by  the  name  of  the  country  from 
which  the  worshippers  came — such  as  the  Alexandrians,  who  were 
the  Jews  from  Alexandria  in  Egypt ;  the  Libertines,  who  were 
the  Jews  set  free  from  Rome ;  the  Cyrenian  Jews,  from  Africa ; 
the  Greek  Jews ;  and  many  others.  And  Paul  would  go  to  the 
Cilician  synagogue,  attended  by  Jews  from  the  province  of  Cilicia, 
of  which  Tarsus  was  the  chief  city.  With  his  daily  attendance  at 
the  golden  temple  and  Gamaliel's  class,  his  attendance  twice  a  week 
at  the  synagogue,  his  lessons  to  learn  at  night,  and  his  work  in  the 
tentmakers'  shop  where  he  earned  at  his  trade  the  small  sum  of 
money  which  served  to  keep  him,  he  was  kept  as  busy  as  any 
one  could  wish  to  be. 

As  flowery  April  passed  into  hot  May,  and  May  into  the 
blazing  month  of  June,  Paul  saw  the  city  emptied  of  pilgrims, 
and  moving  on  its  rather  sleepy  way  with  bargaining  merchants, 
shopkeepers,  traders,  priests,  Levites,  rich  noblemen,  and  Roman 
officers  and  soldiers  going  up  and  down  its  streets. 

In  time  he  would  see  the  Sanhedrim  council  of  the  city,  com- 
posed of  staid  and  old  men,  partly  priests  and  partly  leading 
citizens,  sitting  at  their  council  meetings  in  the  hall  of  hewn 
stones  ;  and  once  a  month  they  sat  continuously  waiting  for  the 
message  from  the  watchers  round  the  city,  looking  out  for  the  first 
white  gleam  of  the  new  moon,  for  that  fixed  the  commencement  of 
a  new  month.  Then  they  ordered  the  signal-fires  to  be  lighted. 
He  saw  the  torches  waved,  and  the  fires  leap  flashing  upward  on 
Mount  Olivet,  while  the  priests  blew  loudly  on  their  trumpets  in 
the  temple.     For  in  the  Bible  it  was  written  : — 

Blow  up  the  trumpet  to  the  new  moon, 

And  at  the  full  moon,  on  our  solemn  feast  day. 

Blessed  be  God,  who  renews  the  months. 

And  going  up  to  the  temple,  he  saw  hundreds  of  priests  at 
work  in  the  dark,  starlit  court,  slaying  bullocks,  rams,  and  lambs, 
and  burning  them  on  the  great  white  altar ;  and  he  may  have 
thought  it  a  little  strange  that  there  should  be  so  much  rejoicing 
and  thanksgiving,  all  because  the  silver  strip  of  the  moon  had 
appeared  once  more  in  the  dark  sky.     We  do  not  know  why 


88  WHITE    WILLOW   BASKETS. 

they  thought  so  much  of  a  new  moon,  and  we  cannot  but  think 
that  it  would  do  the  people  little  good  to  see  animals  burned  and 
trumpets  blown  because  of  it. 

You  have  already  heard  of  the  three  great  festivals  in  the 
temple  to  which  Jews  were  expected  to  come  from  all  parts ;  but 
the  priests  did  not  allow  many  weeks  to  go  by  without  a  festival 
of  some  kind,  for  these  great  gatherings  brought  money  to  the 
temple  and  the  city.  Within  six  weeks  from  the  Passover  fes- 
tival there  were  bands  of  pilgrims  again  coming  over  Olivet,  and 
streaming  through  the  gates,  until  the  city  was  again  crowded 
with  strangers,  for  the  festival  of  First-fruits  was  drawing  near. 
Men,  women,  and  children  were  there  in  their  bright-striped 
dresses,  and  on  the  first  day  he  saw  them  divide  into  smaller 
bands  in  the  open  valley,  and  march  into  the  city  decked  with 
green  garlands  and  wreaths  of  flowers,  and  bearing  their  white 
willow  baskets  of  figs,  pomegranates,  and  golden  dates,  their 
wheat-sheaves  decked  with  lilies,  their  doves  with  necks  like  the 
rainbow,  and  leading  their  sheep  and  oxen  garlanded  with  roses, 
as  they  went  singing  up  the  steep  street  towards  the  temple, 
led  by  a  pipe-player  and  a  banner-bearer ;  while  the  city  people 
crowded  the  houses,  hung  with  green  branches  and  flowers,  to 
welcome  the  pilgrims.  Within  the  temple  he  saw  the  Levites 
receiving  the  gifts.  Some  of  the  rich  people  brought  theirs  in 
little  baskets  of  silver  and  gold  ;  but  the  gifts  of  the  poor  looked 
prettier,  with  the  ruddy  apples  and  golden  dates  nestling  among 
green  leaves  in  baskets  of  willows,  peeled  to  make  them  look  pure 
and  clean. 

This  joyous  festival  lasted  for  six  days,  during  which  the  great 
white  altar  was  again  drenched  up  to  the  red  line  with  blood,  and 
the  fires  were  heaped  with  burning  flesh.  But  when  the  vast 
crowd  stood  silent  under  the  blue  sky,  waiting  for  the  white 
Levite  choir  to  chant  the  great  psalm,  they  heard  no  crashing 
cymbal  or  pealing  trumpet,  but  only  the  softly  warbling  notes  of  a 
flute  that  played  a  strange  wild  air  for  the  singers  to  follow  with 
words  like  this  : — 

Praise,  ye  servants  of  the  Lord ;  blessed  be  His  name. 
Let  His  name  be  praised  from  the  rising  to  the  setting  sun. 

When  the  psalm  ended,  the  silence  was  great  as  the  crowd  of 
thousands  listened  to  the  warbling  flute  that  finished  the  music 
alone. 

He  saw  coming  up  to  the  temple  the  procession  of  the  men 
who  had  been  across  the  brook  Kedron  to  cut  the  last  sheaves  of 
wheat  that  had  been  specially  tied  together  and  left  standing. 


NEW   MOONS    AND    HORN-BLOWING.  89 

And  so  the  end  o£  the  wheat  harvest  was  marked  by  thanks- 
giving, not  only  in  the  golden  temple,  but  in  all  the  synagogues ; 
for  the  rabbis  said,  and  Paul  believed,  that  until  that  was  done,  it 
was  wrong  for  any  man  or  woman  to  bake  with  new  wheat-flour. 
But  just  as  at  the  Passover  time,  no  sooner  had  the  cakes  been 
held  up  at  the  great  white  altar  than  the  streets  of  the  city  below 
were  ringino:  with  the  shouts  and  cries  of  the  sellers  of  wheat  cakes 
baked  and  ready. 

But  soon  the  country  pilgrims  went  home  again,  and  Paul 
was  left  to  pursue  his  daily  round  of  temple  services,  work,  and 
studies,  which  were  growing  ever  more  difficult. 


New  Moons  and   Horn = Blowing; 

JERUSALEM:    AGED   15-30. 

THERE  was  not  another  great  festival  in  the  temple  for  four 
months,  although  there  were  new  moons,  with  red  fires  and 
blowing  horns;  but  Paul  had  to  keep  many  fasting  days,  which  were 
sad  and  sober  times  to  a  strict  Pharisee.  These  days  came  very 
often,  and  as  he,  like  the  Mohammedans  of  to-day,  was  not  allowed 
to  eat  or  drink  anything  from  the  time  the  sun  went  down  until 
the  stars  appeared  next  night,  and  had  often  to  wear  next  his  skin 
the  coarse  cloth  of  which  sacks  were  made,  and  had  to  put  ashes 
on  his  head,  and  mourn  and  weep,  and  say  long  prayers,  they  were 
distressing  days  when  the  sun  was  hot.  These  fasting  days 
were  to  keep  the  people  in  mind  of  sad  events  in  the  nation's 
history — such  as  the  capture  of  Jerusalem  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  the 
destruction  of  the  first  temple,  the  death  of  Gedaliah,  and  other 
calamities.  But  besides  these,  strict  Pharisees  were  told  to  fast 
every  Monday  and  Thursday,  in  memory  of  Moses  and  Mount 
Sinai ;  and  Paul  believed  that  if  he  fasted  regularly  he  would 
be  favoured  with  special  messages  from  God  in  his  dreams.  And 
although  fasting  seems  to  us  a  strange  thing,  we  must  not  forget 
that  it  was  once  practised  in  England  with  great  severity,  and  is 
common  in  many  parts  of  the  world. 

The  Pharisees  of  Jerusalem  were  of  three  degrees  of  strictness, 
and  as  the  strictest  Pharisees  bound  themselves  to  keep  all  the 
rules  about  purity,  and  giving  one-tenth  of  all  they  got  to  the 
temple,  you  can  see  how  severe  Paul's  duties  were.  From  Gamaliel 
he  would  learn  that  the  rules  of  tithes,  or  giving  one-tenth  to  the 
temple,  applied  to  every  Jew,  rich  or  poor ;  that  tithes  were  begun 


90  NEW   MOONS   AND   HORN-BLOWING. 

by  Moses,  and  that  the  rabbis  had  added  to  them,  until  every  fifth 
sheep,  cow,  horse,  goat,  hen,  or  sheaf  of  grain  had  to  go  to  the 
priests  :  and  to  make  this  gift  the  more  sure,  they  said  that  these 
were  holy,  and  to  keep  them  back  and  use  them  was  very  wicked. 
And  Paul  knew  that,  besides  these  tithes,  every  man  had  to  send 
a  half-shekel  to  the  temple,  and  that  it  must  be  one  particular 
old  coin  worth  about  one  shilling  and  fourpence.  And  this  tax 
brought  in  about  seventy  thousand  pounds  every  year. 

He  had  much  to  learn  about  the  sacrifices  that  were  being 
continually  offered  on  the  altar,  for  there  were  none  of  these  in 
the  synagogue  at  Tarsus.  There  were  so  many  different  kinds  of 
them,  and  they  had  to  be  ofi*ered  in  so  many  different  ways  and  at 
so  many  different  times,  that  none  but  the  priests  ever  rightly 
understood  them.  There  were  burnt  offerings,  the  smoke  of  which 
went  up  into  the  blue  sky  every  morning  and  evening ;  peace  offer- 
ings, given  by  people  for  some  good  thing  that  had  happened  to 
them ;  meat  offerings  of  cakes  of  bread ;  drink  offerings  of  wine 
and  oil ;  trespass  offerings,  by  those  who  had  broken  the  law  and 
wished  to  make  up  for  it.  And  as  Gamaliel  could  name  four 
hundred  faults  for  which  a  trespass  offering  should  be  made,  there 
were  many  offerings  of  that  kind. 

The  burning  months  of  July  and  August  went  heavily  by, 
with  not  a  drop  of  rain,  and  hardly  even  a  cloud  in  the  quivering 
sky,  till  the  grass  was  all  burned  brown,  and  the  earth  had  cracks 
■wide  enough  for  a  man's  foot  to  go  down ;  and  only  the  large 
streams  had  any  water  left,  for  the  smaller  ones  were  dry  beds  of 
white  stones,  where  the  green  and  golden  lizards  basked  in  the  sun. 

New- Year's  Day  was  not  in  mid-winter,  as  it  is  M'ith  us,  when 
snows  are  thick  and  winds  cold.  It  was  held  in  September, 
after  the  fields  had  been  cleared,  the  purple  grapes  plucked,  and 
the  dark-green  olives  shaken  from  the  branches.  The  old  year, 
with  its  seed-time,  its  springing,  its  growing,  its  harvest,  was  then 
complete,  and  a  new  year  begun,  when  all  had  to  be  done  over 
again.  And  children  will  admit  that  rejoicing  on  a  New- Year's 
Day  of  hot  sunshine  is  better  than  amid  snow  and  ice. 

And  they  did  rejoice !  For  as  soon  as  the  silver  slit  of  the 
new  moon  was  seen  in  the  sky,  Paul  heard  the  priests  blowing 
their  silver  trumpets,  and  long,  straight  deer-horns  tipped  Mdth 
gold,  and  crooked  rams'  horns  that  made  a  deep,  booming  sound. 
The  people  took  up  the  signal,  and  the  noise  of  horn-blowing 
was  heard  all  night  long  in  the  streets  of  the  city,  and  all  the 
next  day,  until  the  first  star  appeared  in  the  sky.  And  as  Paul 
ate  his  cheerful  New- Year's  supper,  he  heard  the  melancholy  boo- 
ing and  booing  of  the  horns  from  all  parts  of  the  city ;  but  you 


SCARLET    FLOWERS    AND    GOLD    BELLS.  91 

would  have  to  be  told  that  these  were  merry  signs,  for  the  long- 
blown  notes  had  anything  but  a  cheering  sound. 


Scarlet  Flowers  and  Gold   Bells. 

JERUSALEM:    AGED    15-30. 

THE  horn-blowing  and  rejoicing  over  the  new  year  lasted  only 
for  a  few  days ;  and  when  October  came,  with  its  russet  leaves, 
it  brought  the  Atonement,  the  most  sad  and  solemn  festival  of  all 
the  year — so  solemn  that  Paul  had  to  spend  the  week  before  it  in 
fasting  and  preparation,  and  stand  with  others  in  the  synagogue, 
clad  in  a  white  sheet,  as  a  sign  of  sorrow. 

The  coming  Sabbath  was  the  greatest  day  of  all  the  year,  for 
on  it  the  high  priest  went  inside  the  inner  curtain  in  the  temple, 
and  into  the  Holy  of  Holies ;  and  as  he  did  this  only  once  a  year, 
and  was  believed  to  stand  in  the  presence  of  God,  it  was  a  very 
solemn  thing  for  him  and  for  all  the  people.  For  six  days  before 
it  he  was  kept  by  the  priests  in  a  room  in  the  temple,  lest  he 
might  become  impure ;  and  all  night  long  he  was  kept  up,  lest 
he  might  sleep,  and  that  would  be  so  like  death.  They  dressed 
him  a  little  before  the  dawn  in  a  dress  of  pure  white  linen, 
and  over  that  a  dark-blue  cloak,  with  a  rich  border  made  of  an 
embroidered  scarlet  flower,  and  a  little  gold  bell,  then  a  purple 
flower  and  another  gold  bell,  then  a  blue  flower  and  another 
gold  bell,  all  the  way  round ;  for  the  bells  were  to  ring  with  a 
sweet  sound,  and  tell  the  people  he  was  coming.  They  next 
put  on  him  a  stifi"  blouse  of  the  richest  cloth,  woven  with 
threads  of  blue,  white,  purple,  scarlet,  and  gold,  like  the  temple 
curtain,  and  they  clasped  it  at  his  shoulders  with  precious 
stones,  on  which  were  engraved  the  names  of  the  twelve  tribes 
of  the  Jews.  But  the  strangest  thing  of  all  was  his  breast- 
plate, for  it  had  in  it  a  red  ruby,  clear  topaz,  crimson  carbuncle, 
green  emerald,  deep  blue  sapphire,  sparkling  diamond,  yellow 
jacinth,  red  agate,  purple  amethyst,  pale  blue  chalcedony,  black 
onyx,  and  rosy  jasper,  all  set  in  shining  gold.  This  they  fastened 
on  him  with  gold  chains  and  blue  cords.  Last  of  all  they  put  on 
his  head  a  white  bell-shaped  hat  tied  with  blue  ribbon,  and  having 
a  gold  plate  on  the  front,  on  which  was  written,  "  Holiness  to  the 
Lord."  We  hear  of  the  richness  and  strangeness  of  kings'  and 
women's  dresses,  but  surely  no  woman  was  ever  dressed  so  strangely 
and  richly  as  this  man,  who  could  scarcely  walk  under  his  load 


92        SCARLET  FLOWERS  AND  GOLD  BELLS. 

of  robes,  girdles,  jewels,  and  gold.  And  this  gorgeous  dress  had 
such  an  effect  upon  all  who  saw  it,  that  for  years  the  Komans  kept 
it  locked  up,  only  lending  it  out  at  special  times,  lest  it  might  be 
used  to  rouse  the  people  against  them. 

Of  all  the  sounds  which  Paul  heard  in  that  great  temple,  the 
tinkling  of  the  gold  bells  on  the  skirt  of  the  high  priest's  dress, 
on  the  great  day  of  Atonement,  was  considered  the  rarest  and 
sweetest.  And  when  he  took  off  his  splendid  dress  to  bathe  before 
all  the  people,  after  the  morning  sacrifice,  Paul  saw  that  he  did 
not  put  it  on  again,  but  was  then  dressed  in  shining  white  linen. 

He  heard  him  pray,  with  his  hand*  placed  upon  a  bullock's 
head,  that  his  own  sins  and  the  sins  of  the  priests  might  be  for- 
given ;  and  every  time  he  named  God's  name,  all  the  people  in  the 
temple — for  they  could  see  him  from  every  part — bowed  their  faces 
to  the  coloured  pavement. 

He  saw  the  white  figure  of  the  high  priest  come  down  the 
steps  from  the  holy  place  above,  down  to  the  court  crowded  with 
people,  and  stand  between  the  two  white  goats,  and  draw  lots  from 
a  golden  urn.  He  saw  him  tie  a  tongue  of  red  cloth  to  the  horn  of 
one  and  round  the  neck  of  the  other  ;  and  then  the  first  was  turned 
about  so  as  to  face  the  people,  for  that  was  the  scapegoat.  He 
heard  him  pray  that  the  sins  of  all  the  people  might  also  be  for- 
given. 

Having  killed  a  bullock  and  caught  its  blood  in  a  golden 
bowl,  he  next  took  red  coal  in  a  golden  dish  from  the  altar. 
And  then  came  the  most  solemn  act  of  the  year.  Before  all  the 
people  the  white  high  priest  went  slowly  up  the  broad  steps  alone 
to  the  holy  place,  and  Paul  and  the  thousands  crowded  in  all  parts 
of  the  temple  saw  him  disappear  from  view  through  the  great 
curtain,  which  was  partly  folded  back.  In  silence  the  multitude 
stood  waiting  below,  while  he  went  on  and  on  until  he  had  passed 
the  inner  curtain  and  stood  within  the  Holy  of  Holies.  There  in 
the  darkness  of  that  secret  innermost  chamber,  whose  walls,  floor, 
and  ceiling  of  gold  glittered  with  the  dim  light  of  the  red  coals 
which  he  carried,  he  lifted  up  his  eyes ;  but  there  was  nothing  in 
that  room  of  gold  but  a  rude  stone  standing  in  the  midst  of  the 
gold  floor.  Going  forward,  he  placed  his  pan  of  hot  coals  upon  it, 
and  with  his  hand  sprinkled  incense  upon  the  coals,  until  the  place 
was  filled  with  sweet-smelling  smoke.  Thus  he  offered  the  incense 
which  was  thought  to  be  pleasing  to  God.  Then  he  walked  slowly 
backwards  until  the  rich,  heavy  curtain  dropped  into  its  place,  and 
tliere,  standing  outside,  he  prayed  for  the  people — a  few  set  words 
which  he  must  not  prolong,  lest  the  crowds  below,  who  were  now 
on  their  knees  with  their  faces  to  the  pavement,  might  begin  to 


THE  BED  FLANNEL  TONGUE.  93 

fear  that  something  had  happened  to  him  in  that  awful  place. 
When  at  length  he  was  seen  coming  towards  the  steps  again,  deep 
joy  filled  every  heart  in  the  temple ;  for  the  people  believed  that 
once  more  God  had  accepted  the  high  priest's  service,  and  had 
forgiven  all  their  sins.  There  is  much  in  all  this  that  we  cannot 
like,  but  the  central  thoughts  of  faith,  obedience,  and  reverence 
towards  God  which  it  encouraged  in  the  people  are  still  the  central 
thoughts  round  which  our  public  worship  moves. 


The  Red   Flannel  Tongue. 

JERUSALEM:    AGED  15-30. 

STANDING  in  the  crowded  temple,  Paul  saw  the  high  priest 
kill  the  white  goat  with  the  red  flannel  tongue  round  its 
neck,  and  go  up  with  its  blood  in  a  golden  bowl  to  sprinkle  again 
the  Holy  of  Holies.  Forty -three  times  that  day  the  high  priest 
sprinkled  blood  with  his  fingers,  and  on  no  account  must  he  allow 
one  red  drop  to  fall  on  his  white  dress,  for  the  blood  was  believed 
to  be  laden  with  sin. 

And  still  the  scapegoat  stood  in  front  of  the  white  altar,  with 
the  red  flannel  tongue  on  its  horn.  What  was  to  happen  to  it  1 
Paul  saw  the  high  priest  put  his  hands  upon  its  head,  and  heard 
him  pray  to  God  that  their  sins  might  be  forgiven,  while  the  people 
bowed  their  heads  low ;  then  suddenly  turning  round,  he  cried  in 
a  loud  voice  to  the  people  below,  "Ye  shall  be  cleansed."  But  he 
did  not  kill  the  goat.  Paul  saw  a  priest  leading  it  away  from  the 
white  altar,  down  the  white  steps,  and  through  the  people  in  the 
courts  below,  who  made  a  wide  lane  for  it  to  pass,  lest  it  might 
touch  them,  for  it  was  supposed  to  be  laden  with  sin ;  through 
the  Nicanor  Gate  of  silver  and  gold,  through  the  women's  court, 
through  the  Shushan  Gate  of  polished  brass,  through  the  crowded 
court  of  the  foreigners,  through  the  marble  pillars  of  Solomon's 
porch,  out  of  the  temple,  and  across  the  Kedron  by  a  special 
narrow  bridge,  and  over  to  the  Mount  of  Olivet,  where  a  man 
took  the  cord  of  the  little  goat  that  was  supposed  to  be  carrying 
away  all  their  sins,  to  lead  it  on  for  five  miles  into  the  wilderness 
of  Judea.  There  he  tore  off  half  of  the  red  flannel  tongue  and  stuck 
it  upon  a  rock,  and  loosing  the  cord,  gave  the  goat  a  push  and  a 
blow  that  set  it  galloping  away  into  freedom,  waving  a  flag  as  he  did 
so.  The  signal  was  passed  quickly  back  from  man  to  man,  until 
a  watcher  on  Olivet  waved  it  to  a  watcher  on  the  temple,  who 


94  YELLOW    CITRONS    AND    GREEN    MYRTLE. 

waved  it  to  the  people  in  the  court  below,  who  whispered  to  each 
other,  as  they  looked  at  him  with  upturned  faces,  "  The  goat  has 
borne  away  all  our  traiisgressions  into  an  uninhabited  land."  And 
Paul  did  not  doubt  that  it  was  true. 

While  the  white  goat,  with  the  red  tongue  on  its  horn,  was 
on  its  way  to  freedom,  the  high  priest  was  still  busy ;  but  when  he 
liad  lighted  the  lamps  of  the  great  golden  candlestick,  his  work 
there  was  done.  And  wearing  a,gain  his  golden  vestments  and 
jewelled  breastplate,  Paul  saw  him  taken  by  rejoicing  crowds  away 
from  the  temple,  through  the  city  streets,  and  home  to  his  own 
palace  on  Mount  Zion. 

It  was  now  evening,  the  time  for  feasting  and  joy ;  for  Paul 
had  tasted  no  food  since  the  night  before.  And  if  he  went  out 
after  supper  to  the  moonlit  vineyards,  he  saw  the  maidens  of  the 
city  who  wished  to  be  married  dressed  in  white  dresses  that  had 
been  given  to  them,  so  that  the  rich  and  the  poor  might  be  alike, 
dancing  to  the  music  of  timbrels  and  chanting  wild  songs,  of  which 
this  is  a  part : — 

"  Round  and  round  in  circles  white  the  maidens  dance, 
And  while  their  wives  the  happy  young  men  choose. 
Remember  beauty  soon  will  lose  its  charm, 
And  seek  a  maid  who  loves  and  fears  the  Lord." 

And  he  would  see  the  young  men  dressed  in  their  best  clothes 
standing  among  the  yellow  leaves  of  the  vines,  with  their  dark 
eyes  solemnly  following  the  shifting  figures  of  the  beautiful  dam- 
sels as  they  floated  past  in  the  moonlight. 


Yellow  Citrons  and   Green   Myrtle. 

JERUSALEM  :    AGED  15-30. 

HAVING  spent  so  many  days  in  preparation  for  the  great 
festival  of  the  Atonement,  it  might  have  been  thought  that 
the  priests  would  not  have  had  any  more  festivals  for  some  time  ; 
but  that  was  not  so.  Within  five  days  there  came  the  festival 
of  Bowers,  with  which  Paul  was  familiar  at  Tarsus,  but  he  had 
never  seen  it  kept  in  the  golden  temple.  It  was  also  the  Harvest 
Home  festival,  and  the  most  joyful  of  the  year,  just  as  the  Atone- 
ment was  the  most  sad. 

Again  he  saw  bands  of  pilgrims,  many  of  whom  had  marched 
hundreds  of  miles,  come  singing  over  the  shoulder  of  Olivet ;  but 
not  to  camp  in  little  tents  of  black  and  brown,  or  live  in  houses, 


YELLOW   CITRONS    AND    GREEN    MYRTLE.  95 

but  in  booths  of  green.  As  band  after  band  went  to  their  camping- 
place  outside  the  walls,  he  saw  the  valleys  and  hillsides  being 
covered  with  their  bright  green  bowers  of  leafy  branches,  while 
inside  the  city  bowers  were  built  in  the  gardens,  on  the  broad 
housetops,  and  in  the  wide  courts,  and  the  streets  were  garlanded 
in  the  same  way  as  he  had  seen  the  Jews'  streets  done  in  Tarsus. 

The  festival  lasted  for  seven  days,  and  Paul  stood  with  his 
willow  branch  in  his  hand,  among  the  thousands  who  crowded  the 
vale  of  the  Kedron,  to  wave  and  sing  each  morning,  as  the  priest 
carried  the  golden  bowl  of  water  from  the  sweet  Pool  of  Siloam  up 
the  rock-hewn  steps  to  the  temple  above.  And  in  the  temple  he 
saw  the  priest  pour  the  water  into  one  gold  trumpet  of  the  great 
white  altar,  and  wine  into  another. 

On  one  of  the  days  all  the  people  in  the  temple  carried  a 
yellow  citron  in  one  hand,  and  a  bunch  of  palm,  willow,  and 
myrtle  twigs  in  the  other.  And  Paul  saw  a  procession  of  white- 
robed  priests  walking  round  and  round  the  great  white  altar, 
while  the  Levite  choir  sang ;  and  every  time  they  came  to  the 
words,  "Oh  give  thanks  to  the  Lord,"  the  people  shook  their 
branches  over  their  heads,  until  the  temple  court  looked  like  a 
forest  of  waving  trees. 

The  temple  money-chests  were  opened  also,  and  Paul  would  see 
the  shining  coins  carried  away  to  be  stored  past  in  the  strong 
treasury.  And  at  night,  when  the  huge  oil-lamps,  made  from  the 
old  garments  of  the  priests,  were  lighted  high  up  on  the  temple 
walls,  to  throw  their  wild  glare  over  the  court  and  down  into  the 
streets,  Paul  saw  the  strange  sight  of  the  rabbis  and  leading  men 
of  the  city,  old  and  young,  dancing  on  the  polished  marble  floor  of 
the  women's  court  to  the  loud,  quick  playing  of  the  Levite  band 
of  harps,  cymbals,  and  drums,  until  they  could  dance  no  longer, 
while  the  white  figures  of  women  looked  down  on  them  from 
the  dark  galleries  above.  They  might  dance  for  a  husband  in  a 
moonlit  vineyard,  but  they  might  not  mingle  in  the  dancing  there. 
On  another  day  of  the  festival,  carrying  his  yellow  citron,  green 
branch,  and  a  gift,  he  went  up  to  the  temple,  amid  thousands 
of  others,  to  walk  round  the  great  white  altar,  looking  at  the 
huge  bower  of  willows  from  the  brook  Kedron  that  the  priests 
had  built  over  it,  and  shout,  "  Hosannah  !  hosannah  !  "  And  this 
was  a  treat  in  which  crowds  of  little  children  were  allowed  to  join, 
and  shout  as  loud  as  they  liked.  On  the  last  day  of  all  he  would 
help  to  pull  down  and  scatter  that  green  bower,  and  beat  the 
willow  twigs  on  the  marble  pavement  till  not  a  leaf  remained  on 
them ;  which  was  the  signal  for  the  people  to  pull  their  bowers  to 
pieces  in  their  gardens  and  houses,  and  to  return  to  their  homes. 


96  OATHS    AND   MARRIAGES. 

But  before  many  years  Jesus  would  come  to  look  upon  these 
strange  scenes  with  different  feelings,  and  to  stand  amid  the  crowds 
in  that  vast  temple,  and  tell  them  of  another  Light  of  the  world 
and  another  water  of  life ;  but  His  time  had  not  yet  come. 


Oaths  and   Marriages. 

JERUSALEM:    AGED  15-30. 

ONCE  more  the  bright  dresses  of  the  country  people  faded  from 
the  streets  of  Jerusalem,  and  the  strange  tongues  of  Jews 
from  foreign  countries  were  no  longer  heard  bargaining  for  the 
city-made  goods  in  the  shops,  bazaars,  and  markets.  The  festival 
crowds  were  gone,  and  Paul  was  again  at  work  at  his  daily  task  of 
weaving  and  tentmaking,  and  his  studies  under  Gamaliel.  He 
had  to  learn  the  rules  of  the  rabbis  and  carry  them  out  in  his 
daily  life,  and  know  them  so  accurately  that  he  could  teach  them 
word  for  word  to  others. 

When  his  teacher  spoke  of  the  rules  of  marriage,  he  heard  that 
Jews  must  only  marry  Jews,  and  of  the  present  which  the  father 
must  give  his  daughter  on  her  marriage,  of  the  day  of  the  week  on 
which  she  might  marry,  of  the  contract  of  betrothal,  and  of  the 
marriage  ceremony  itself ;  that  no  one  could  be  married  without 
first  getting  leave  from  the  synagogue;  and  of  a  hundred  other 
rules  and  customs  about  the  behaviour  between  married  people. 
He  would  even  hear  what  flowers  a  girl  must  not  wear  at  her  own 
wedding,  and  how  she  must  dress  her  hair.  And  he  would  learn 
that  the  rabbis  had  made  many  rules  about  divorce,  some  of  them 
so  childish,  and  with  results  so  cruel  to  women,  that  we  wonder 
honest  men  could  believe  them.  And  yet  Paul  believed  that  a 
man  might  have  several  wives ;  that  he  could  send  his  wife  away 
on  such  silly  excuses  as  tliat  she  went  about  with  her  hair  loose,  or 
cooked  his  food  badly.  There  were  no  women  among  the  rabbis, 
and  they  could  make  what  rules  they  pleased  for  them. 

Paul  did  not  doubt  that  all  this  was  right  and  proper,  because 
Rabbi  Gamaliel  said  so.  And  he  would  also  hear  it  said  that 
it  would  be  best  for  a  man  not  to  marry  at  all,  as  a  wife  would 
lead  his  thoughts  away  from  the  study  of  the  Law  and  the  Tradi- 
tions, and  that  laughing  little  children  would  do  the  same.  And 
so  he  was  taught  to  look  upon  the  gentle  faces  of  women  and 
the  sweet  voices  of  children  as  things  that  a  good  man  would  be 
better  to  avoid.     And  to  the  end  of  his  life  he  never  quite  got 


THE    COMING    OF   THE    WILD    FLOWERS.  97 

rid  of  that  idea.  But  in  this  the  rabbis  had  gone  far  beyond  the 
laws  of  Moses ;  and  when  Jesus  came  to  speak  to  the  people,  He 
rebuked  these  teachers  for  their  hard  hearts  and  their  cruelty  to 
their  wives. 

When  Rabbi  Gamaliel  spoke  about  oaths,  and  true  and  false 
swearing,  Paul  learned  that  what  Moses  had  said  about  these  had 
been  greatly  altered  by  the  rabbis,  who  had  made  up  lists  of  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  oaths  which  men  might  swear.  They  said  they 
might  swear  by  the  temple  of  Jerusalem,  or  the  great  altar,  or  the 
fire  on  it,  or  by  the  sun,  or  even  by  the  sacred  name  of  God  Him- 
self. These  oaths  were  usually  a  promise  that  they  would  present 
something  to  the  temple,  and  so  the  priests  made  very  strict  rules 
about  keeping  them — so  strict  that  even  if  a  man's  parents  or 
children  were  starving,  the  present  must  go  to  the  temple  all  the 
same.  And  Paul  believed  that  such  oaths  were  right,  and  that  if 
a  man  did  not  keep  them  he  ought  to  be  punished. 

He  was  told,  too,  how  a  man  came  to  be  a  priest :  for  there 
were  only  certain  families  from  which  priests  could  be  taken. 
And  he  saw  the  young  priests  daily  in  the  temple  learning  what 
they  were  to  do,  for  they  said  it  would  be  a  terrible  thing  if  a 
priest  made  a  mistake.  He  learned,  also,  what  a  man  had  to  do 
who  wished  to  be  a  scribe,  and  that  scribes  were  the  judges  in  the 
synagogue  courts  wherever  there  were  Jews ;  that  they  made  all 
the  copies  of  the  books  of  the  Bible,  and  were  really  poor  scholars, 
for  they  did  not  share,  like  the  priests  and  the  Levites,  in  the 
riches  of  the  temple. 


The  Coming  of  the  Wild    Flowers. 

JERUSALEM  :    AGED  15-30. 

THE  month  of  russet  leaves  was  now  over  in  the  vale  of  Kedron, 
and  winter  in  Jerusalem  was  approaching,  but  not  such  a 
winter  as  we  are  accustomed  to,  with  trees  of  hoar  frost,  hills 
of  snow,  and  ice-bound  rivers.  In  November  the  rains  came 
that  turned  the  stony  beds  of  the  streams  into  foaming  torrents ; 
and  standing  on  the  Kedron  bridge,  Paul  would  see  that  rapid 
river  steeping  the  black  rocks  on  each  side  in  its  deep  waves,  and 
sweeping  past  the  foot  of  the  temple  walls  in  a  flood  of  turbid 
brown,  while  every  valley  and  gully  around  the  city  had  a  white 
stream  dashing  down  it.  And  yet,  although  the  nights  were 
piercingly  cold,  at  midday  the  sun  was  often  as  hot  as  in  summer. 
By  December  the  dawn  sometimes  showed  hills  sprinkled  with  snow, 

(1.040)  7 


98  THE    COMING   OF   THE    WILD    FLOWERS. 

and  the  golden  roof  of  the  temple  powdered  by  the  clouds  of  heaven 
with  a  covering  more  pure  and  dazzling  than  the  laboured  roof  of 
beaten  gold  ;  but  the  sun  quickly  melted  the  snow,  and  soon  it  was 
being  whirled  down  hundreds  of  gullies  in  the  steep  hills  towards 
the  broad  Jordan. 

This  dead,  cold  month  was  cheered  by  a  festival,  which  was 
confined  almost  entirely  to  the  people  of  Jerusalem,  of  a  kind 
fitted  to  drive  away  the  gloom  of  a  winter's  niglrt.  It  was  called 
Dedication;  and  it  did  not  go  back  to  the  days  of  Moses,  but 
only  to  about  two  hundred  years  before,  when  one  of  the  Maccabees 
had  pulled  the  defiled  altar  to  pieces  and  thrown  it  out  of  the 
temple,  and  built  the  present  splendid  one  of  huge  unhewn  stones 
in  its  place,  and  had  again  started  the  sacrifices,  which  had  been 
stopped  for  some  time.  Going  to  the  temple  for  eight  successive 
nights,  Paul  saw  it  lighted  up  in  every  part  with  lamps  and 
candles,  getting  brighter  and  brighter  each  night.  And  looking 
down  on  the  city,  he  saw  that  the  streets  also  were  all  lighted  up, 
and  the  houses  lighted  with  candles  such  as  he  had  often  seen  in 
Tarsus. 

During  the  daytime  the  people  walked  about  with  branches 
in  their  hands  of  evergreen  shrubs,  keeping  holiday,  and  going  up 
to  the  temple,  to  remind  each  other  of  what  had  happened  there. 
And  Paul  would  see  in  his  sister's  house  a  fresh  candle  lighted  for 
each  person  every  night,  for  that  was  the  way  Gamaliel  said  it 
should  be  done.  And  he  thought  that  it  was  a  most  important 
thing  to  increase  by  only  one  candle  at  a  time ;  although  you  and 
I  would  not  now  be  so  particular,  and  might  light  them  all  at  once. 

There  was  no  great  festival  held  in  January,  but  it  was  not 
the  cold,  dead  month  to  which  we  are  accustomed.  By  that  time 
the  grass  on  Mount  Olivet  was  springing  green  under  the  twisted 
branches  of  the  olive  trees,  and  the  herbs  were  thrusting  up  fresh 
leaves  in  the  king's  gardens ;  and  although  sometimes  a  cold  day 
came,  with  steel-grey  skies,  and  a  sudden  volley  of  large  hailstones 
that  made  the  people  run  for  shelter,  the  winter  was  over  and 
past.  Next  day  might  be  one  of  rich  blue  skies  and  such  bright 
sunshine  that  Paul  could  sit  and  read  on  his  quiet  housetop,  for 
the  barley  was  springing  in  the  low  rich  fields  around  Jericho. 

February  came,  with  days  in  which  a  calm  blue  sky  would 
quickly  change  to  one  of  leaden  black,  bringing  a  tempest  of  wind 
and  surging  rain  upon  the  city,  while  streaming  lightning  played 
through  the  gloom,  and  thunder  crashed  and  volleyed  among  the 
hills.  But  spring  had  taken  possession  of  Mount  Olivet  and  the 
gaHdens  there,  for  already  the  first  array  of  the  year's  wild  flowers 
were  nodding  their  heads  of  wiiite  and  gold,  and  spreading  their 


THE   COMING   OP   THE   WILD    FLOWERS.  99 

mantles  of  blue  and  scarlet  on  the  carpet  of  dazzling  green,  until 
once  more  the  grass  under  the  trees  was  beautiful  as  a  fresh- woven 
rug  of  the  brightest  hues.  The  grey  doves,  with  their  rainbow 
necks,  that  flew  in  and  out  among  the  porches  and  pillars  of  the 
temple,  were  building  their  nests  and  laying  their  white  eggs ;  for 
by  a  kindly  custom  they  were  allowed  to  build  in  peace,  as  we 
have  seen  them  building  in  the  carvings  of  our  own  cathedrals. 

The  name  of  the  young  and  beautiful  Queen  Esther  was 
always  associated  in  Paul's  mind  with  the  cheerful  month  of 
March,  when  the  fields  were  green  with  waving  crops,  the  trees 
thick  with  fresh  leaves  ;  for  then  the  joyful  festival  of  Purim  was 
held,  in  which  little  children  took  the  chief  part.  He  had  seen  it 
often  at  Tarsus,  but  there  were  so  many  synagogues  in  Jerusalem 
that  the  whole  city  was  carried  away  with  joy. 

He  fasted  on  the  day  before  the  festival,  because  good  Queen 
Esther  had  fasted  with  all  her  maids  when  she  feared  what  was 
coming.  But  as  soon  as  the  three  stars  appeared  in  the  evening 
sky,  which  told  him  that  the  fast  was  at  an  end,  the  streets  were 
filled  with  men,  women,  and  children  hastening  to  the  synagogues. 
There  were  no  shut  doors,  no  dread  of  interruption,  as  at  Tarsus ; 
for  in  that  great  city  they  were  all  Jews,  and  all  haters  of  Haman 
and  lovers  of  the  good  queen. 

Paul  had  now  learned  much  about  the  Law  of  Moses  and 
the  Rules  and  Traditions  of  the  rabbis  which  he  did  not  know 
before.  He  heard  how  people  were  punished  who  broke  these 
rules,  and  that  every  synagogue,  even  in  foreign  cities,  had  a 
court  or  council  of  the  chief  men,  and  always  one  or  two  scribes 
among  them  who  knew  about  rules  and  punishments.  He  learned 
how  people  were  brought  up  before  them  for  trial,  and  that  they 
were  very  much  afraid  of  being  informed  upon  by  spies.  These 
courts  ordered  the  people  to  pay  fines,  or  do  some  act  of  penance ; 
and  if  they  did  not  do  as  they  were  ordered,  there  were  other 
punishments.  The  worst  of  all  was  excommunication,  and  it  was 
very  like  boycotting  in  Ireland.  They  put  the  man  out  of  the 
synagogue,  and  henceforth  no  Jew  might  speak  to  him  or  give 
him  food,  and  he  might  die  of  cold  and  hunger  for  all  the  council 
cared.  And  Paul  thought  it  right  that  people  should  be  so 
punished  for  not  doing  as  they  were  ordered  and  believing  as 
they  were  told.  But  we  live  in  happier  times,  when  a  man 
cannot  be  punished  in  England  for  his  religion ;  and  that  free- 
dom we  owe  to  Jesus,  who  would  denounce  these  scribes  and  their 
courts  and  councils,  which  Paul  now  thought  so  good. 


100  AFTER    A    YEAR. 

After  a  Year. 

JERUSALEM  :    AGED  15-30. 

THERE  was  another  thing  about  which  Gamaliel  spoke — a 
thing  so  full  of  hope,  liberty,  and  beauty  that  it  shines  out 
like  a  brilliant  rainbow  upon  a  cloud  of  gloom.  Paul  heard  that 
although  the  Jews  had  been  conquered  time  after  time,  there  was 
a  day  coming  when  One  would  arise  who  would  gather  the  people 
together  from  all  parts  of  the  world,  and  drive  out  the  Eomans, 
and  reign  as  king  in  Jerusalem  for  ever.  This  great  P^edeemer, 
who  was  to  bring  salvation  to  their  nation,  was  called  the  Messiah ; 
and  while  that  is  now  one  of  the  names  of  Jesus,  it  had  a  very 
different  meaning  for  Paul  at  this  time  from  what  it  came  to  have 
many  years  afterwards.  The  description  that  Gamaliel  gave  him 
of  the  coming  Messiah,  according  to  the  rabbis,  was  so  different 
from  Jesus  that  it  helps  us  to  understand  how  slow  Paul  was 
to  see  the  Messiah  in  Him. 

The  rabbis  thought  and  spoke  much  about  the  coming  of  the 
Messiah — more,  perhaps,  than  about  any  other  thing,  for  they 
were  daily  expecting  Him.  Paul  knew  that  His  coming  had 
been  spoken  of  by  the  old  prophets,  in  the  books  of  the  Bible, 
a  thousand  years  before ;  and  Gamaliel  would  read  passage  after 
passage  to  his  students,  and  explain  that  they  were  all  about 
Him,  and  would  tell  them  the  meanings  which  the  rabbis  put 
upon  the  words  he  read.  He  would  tell  what  kind  of  Messiah 
He  would  be,  and  what  the  people  were  to  do  when  He  came. 

Paul  knew  from  a  child  that  the  Messiah  would  belong  to  the 
royal  tribe  of  Judah,  and  that  He  would  be  born  at  Bethlehem  or 
Jerusalem.  He  would  be  told  by  his  teacher  that  the  Messiah 
would  be  hidden  from  the  people  for  a  time,  and  be  unknown 
until  the  ancient  prophet  Elijah  appeared  again,  who  would 
anoint  Him  as  King;  and  then  He  would  show  Himself,  and 
gather  the  people  and  lead  them  towards  Jerusalem,  driving 
His  enemies  before  Him,  and  sit  upon  the  throne  of  the  ancient 
Jewish  kings,  that  had  been  empty  for  so  long.  From  Jerusalem 
His  kingdom  would  spread  over  all  the  earth,  till  all  nations 
obeyed  Him.  He  was  to  be  a  man  and  yet  have  the  power  of 
God,  and  would  live  for  ever. 

And  Paul  would  learn  that  the  rabbis  were  not  agreed  about 
the  Messiah — some  calling  Him  "the  Word  of  God,"  and  "the 
Son  of  God  ; "  while  others  said  He  would  only  be  a  mighty  prince 
like  one  of  their  kings  of  old,  but  greater.     They  were  all  agreed, 


AFTER   A   YEAR.  101 

however,  that  He  would  be  a  fighting  prince,  who  would  deliver 

the  nation  by  warfare,  and  that  the  mountains  would  be  dyed  red 
with  the  blood  of  His  enemies.  He  would  work  wonders  also, 
but  these  would  be  mainly  to  destroy  His  enemies.  They  even 
said  that  flames  would  come  out  of  His  mouth  and  consume  them. 

And  Paul  believed  that  when  the  Messiah  had  put  down  all  His 
enemies,  He  would  make  Jerusalem  the  richest  and  most  glorious 
city  that  could  be  thought  of — its  houses  ornamented  with  gems, 
its  streets  paved  with  gold — and  would  so  bless  the  whole 
country  that  it  would  yield  marvellous  crops  of  the  finest  grain, 
and  of  the  largest  fruits,  and  sickness  would  be  unknown. 
Indeed,  the  rabbis  had  busied  themselves  for  ages  in  weaving 
round  the  coming  Messiah  a  web  of  stories,  some  so  silly  that 
a  child  would  smile  at  them,  and  some  so  cruel  and  unjust  that 
no  man  could  believe  them.  The  main  thing,  however,  was  that 
He  would  be  a  great  prince  and  warrior,  who  would  drive  out 
their  enemies.  And  Paul  believed  this  as  firmly  as  that  there 
was  a  sun  in  the  sky,  for  he  thought  that  the  hopes  of  their 
oppressed  nation  depended  on  the  coming  Saviour  being  one 
who  would  lead  armies  and  fight  the  Romans.  We  wonder  now 
that  he  ever  could  believe  it,  but  we  must  remember  that  he 
believed  whatever  he  was  taught. 

He  had  now  been  a  full  year  in  Jerusalem,  and  Zion  hill,  and 
the  temple  and  its  services,  which  had  been  the  dreams  of  his 
boyhood,  were  familiar  things  of  every  day.  What  did  he  think 
of  these  brightly-paved  courts,  these  pillared  terraces,  these  white 
walls  and  towers,  that  awful  holy  place  with  its  gold  roof  ?  What 
of  the  hundred  glittering  knives  of  the  white  priests,  the  smoking 
sacrifices,  the  bowls  of  red  blood,  the  cries  of  the  lambs  drowned 
in  a  burst  of  crashing  cymbals,  rasping  strings,  twanging  harps, 
piercing  pipes,  beating  drums,  and  the  voices  of  the  Avhite-robed 
singers  1  What  of  the  great  temple  gong  that  gave  the  time,  and 
the  piercing  silver  trumpets  blown  as  signals  to  the  crowding 
thousands?  He  thought,  as  his  teachers  thought,  that  the  sacri- 
fices, incense,  blood,  prayers,  singing,  bowing,  silence,  and  shout- 
ing within  that  vast  temple  were  the  grandest  worship  of  God 
that  could  be  conceived  by  man ;  and  that  any  one  who  spoke 
a  word  against  the  temple  or  its  services  deserved  to  be  put  to 
death,  for  that  was  equal  to  speaking  against  God — at  least  so 
Gamaliel  said. 


102  JESUS. 


Jesus. 

JERUSALEM:    AGED  15-30. 

JESUS  was  still  in  Nazareth,  working  and  waiting,  and  He 
too  knew  the  temple  and  its  services.  A  few  years  ago — 
how  many  we  do  not  know — He  had  stood,  a  beautiful  dark-eyed 
boy,  with  His  father  and  mother,  in  the  midst  of  the  Passover 
crowds,  watching  the  white-robed  priests  at  their  work  in  the 
open  court  above  them.  At  the  mysterious  hour  when  the  violet 
dusk  follows  the  red  sundown,  He  had  waited  by  His  father's 
side,  hearing  the  bleating  of  the  lambs  that  lay  bound  and  help- 
less ;  and  had  seen  them  slain,  and  their  blood  handed  about  in 
gold  bowls.  Standing  alone  in  the  sunshine.  He  had  listened  to 
what  the  white-haired  rabbis  were  saying  in  the  arches  round 
the  open  courts,  and  among  the  coloured  pillars  of  the  porches ; 
but  not  to  believe  as  Paul  did. 

Years  passed,  and  He  went  again  and  again  to  these  temple 
festivals,  and  heard  the  rabbis,  but  only  to  be  grieved  that  men 
should  say  such  things  to  the  people  and  command  them  to  be- 
lieve. When  He  looked  at  the  priests  in  their  glittering  robes  in 
the  court  above  Him,  He  was  filled  with  wonder  at  the  number 
of  the  sacrifices  burned  upon  the  white  altar,  and  the  quantities 
of  blood  they  sprinkled  upon  it  and  poured  in  streams  about  it. 
And  the  more  He  looked  and  listened,  the  plainer  it  became  that 
their  sacrifices  were  useless,  their  teaching  false,  and  their  gorgeous 
services  not  the  true  worship  of  His  Father  in  heaven.  These 
elaborate  ceremonies  did  not  draw  the  people  near  to  God,  but 
kept  a  white-robed  priest  ever  standing  between  them.  True  wor- 
ship is  within  a  man,  true  service  is  in  his  outward  life. 

Living  in  a  quiet  glen  of  wild  and  free  Galilee,  far  beyond  the 
shadow  of  the  temple,  Jesus  thought,  and  felt,  and  saw  that  the 
rabbis  did  not  teach  the  truths  of  God  to  the  people,  but  were 
false  teachers — some  blind  and  ignorant,  others  clever  and  learned, 
but  all  leading  them  astray,  so  that  they  could  not  tell  the  true 
from  the  false. 

They  seemed  to  say  that  the  way  to  please  God  and  get  Him 
to  forgive  their  trespasses  was  not  by  repentance  and  forgiving 
the  trespasses  of  their  fellow-men,  but  by  giving  sin  offerings  and 
trespass  offerings  to  the  priests,  who  would  secure  a  pardon.  But 
this  was  only  outward  behaviour,  and  Jesus  knew  that  a  man 
might  perform  all  the  required  prayers  and  sacrifices  and  his 
heart  remain  unchanged ;  and  it  gave  the  rich  a  power  of  getting 


JEStrs    AND    PAUL.  103 

pardons  from  the  priests  which  the  poor  could  not  get.  He  cared 
not  for  the  sight  of  slaughtered  bullocks  and  bleating  lambs,  and 
bowls  of  blood  which  the  priests  loved  to  handle  and  sprinkle  and 
pour,  as  if  it  were  the  most  sacred  thing  in  the  world,  while  it 
could  never  be  anything  else  than  the  blood  of  a  beast  of  the 
field.  With  false  teachers,  and  deceitful  priests,  and  cheating 
traders,  the  temple  was  more  like  a  den  of  thieves  than  a  place 
where  God  should  be  worshipped.  What  availed  these  blazing 
fires,  these  bowls  of  blood,  these  clouds  of  incense,  and  the  high 
priest  with  bells  tinkling  as  he  entered  the  dark  and  secret 
chamber  of  gold,  if  the  people  were  kept  strangers  to  the  know- 
ledge of  God  ? 

How  often  does  a  boy's  heart  burn  within  him  as  he  thinks  of 
the  horror  and  cruelty  of  war,  when  one  bombshell  may  scatter 
the  bodies  of  fifty  men  upon  the  plain  !  how  often  has  it  burned 
as  he  read  of  slaves  beaten  to  death  with  lead-tipped  scourges ! 
How  often  has  a  girl's  heart  melted  to  tears  as  she  thought  of  the 
bitterness  of  poverty,  and  the  misery  of  sickness,  until  despair  of 
better  things  seemed  closing  on  her  !  But  never  did  the  heart  of 
boy  or  girl  burn  for  others  as  did  the  heart  of  Jesus  when  He 
thought  of  the  bondage  of  His  people.  But  He  felt  no  despair, 
fw  God  was  in  Him. 


Jesus  and   Paul. 

JERUSALEM:     AGED    15-30. 

WHILE  Paul  was  studying  the  endless  rules  and  traditions 
of  the  rabbis  at  Jerusalem,  Jesus  was  cleaving  wood  and 
driving  nails  in  Nazareth.  It  is  thought  that  Joseph  was  now 
dead,  and  as  the  eldest  son,  Jesus  would  take  his  place  as  the  village 
carpenter  and  the  head  of  the  sm.all  household.  He  had  to  watch 
over  His  sweet,  fond  mother  Mary,  and  work  for  food  and  clothing 
for  the  little  flock. 

It  would  be  His  place  to  teach  His  brothers  and  sisters  from 
the  Bible,  as  Joseph  had  taught  Him.  Perhaps  standing  at  His 
carpenter's  bench,  amid  wood  and  shavings,  or  perhaps  on  the 
flat  house  roof  under  a  trellis  of  vines,  with  children  round 
Him  and  the  gleaming  stars  above.  His  first  teaching  would 
begin.  Was  ever  sweeter  teaching,  as  He  talked  with  them  of 
what  He  had  seen  in  the  temple,  and  what  He  found  in  the  Bible, 
and  told  them  of  a  Father  in  heaven,  who  heard  them  when  they 
whispered  their  prayers,  and  whom  they  must  serve  by  being 
good?     And  His  sweet  mother  would  listen  to  what  He  said, 


104  JESUS    AND    PAUL. 

turning  over  things  in  her  mind  which  she  had  treasured  up 
from  the  day  He  was  born,  and  would  think  how  different  was 
His  teaching  from  that  of  Joseph — how  much  easier,  how  much 
nearer  God.  For  Joseph  always  repeated  what  other  men  said, 
but  Jesus  spoke  what  He  thought. 

And  so  in  that  vine-covered  cottage,  or  in  the  shaving-strewn 
shed,  the  teaching  began  that  was  to  overrun  the  world — began 
with  children  under  their  mother's  eyes,  who  heard  it  with  fear 
and  anxiety,  knowing  that  if  He  should  openly  speak  so  to  the 
people,  it  would  bring  persecution  and  punishment  upon  Him  from 
the  rabbis  at  Jerusalem,  and  from  all  who  believed  in  their  laws. 
But  Jesus  believed  not  their  words,  and  spoke  as  He  was 
taught  of  God.  And  as  He  walked  in  the  vale  of  Nazareth,  and 
saw  the  sun  setting  in  crimson  behind  the  purple  hills  of  Carmel, 
and  the  stars  throbbing  out  over  the  violet  sky,  His  thoughts  were 
of  His  Father  in  heaven,  who  talked  with  Him,  none  the  less 
plainly  that  no  sound  fell  upon  His  ear  save  the  song  of  the 
nightingale  in  the  fir  tree,  or  the  bleating  of  the  lambs  in  the  fold. 

And  in  the  day,  as  He  swung  His  axe  in  the  forest  cutting 
down  trees,  and  drove  in  the  wedge,  or  forced  His  rude  saw 
through  the  plank  in  the  hot  workshop,  His  thoughts  were  of 
the  people  and  their  false  teachers  and  deceitful  priests,  of  the 
countless  rules  and  burdens  which  they  put  upon  them,  and  of 
His  heavenly  Father's  will  to  men.  But  the  way  was  not  clear ; 
His  time  had  not  yet  come.  His  present  duty  was  to  work  from 
morning  to  night  as  a  carpenter,  and  take  care  of  His  mother 
and  her  children,  and  stay  in  Nazareth.  And  His  visits  to  the 
festivals  would  become  fewer  as  years  went  past ;  for  the  flowers 
of  the  field,  the  clouds  of  heaven,  the  vine-dresser  and  the  shep- 
herd, had  more  attractions  for  Him  than  the  tumult  of  a  city  and 
the  throngs  of  the  temple.  And  thus,  while  Paul  was  living  in  a 
great  city,  toiling  at  tentmaking  and  his  endless  studies,  Jesus 
was  working  in  a  country  village,  and  walking  with  God,  Paul 
was  born  in  a  city,  and  loved  streets,  crowds,  and  the  ways  of 
men.  Books  and  ancient  sayings  were  dear  to  him,  and  he  liked 
the  life  of  a  spare  student  who  fasted  and  said  long  prayers  in 
Jerusalem,  and  believed  good  and  bad  alike,  as  he  was  told.  But 
in  a  day  to  come  Jesus  would  teach  him  to  think  for  himself,  but 
not  until  he  had  gone  further  astray. 

Again  the  Passover  crowds  filled  the  streets  of  Jerusalem, 
and  again  Paul  stood  rapt  in  admiration  under  the  sparkling 
stars  in  the  temple,  seeing  the  blood  poured  out  at  the  foot  of  the 
white  altar,  to  flow  like  a  river  of  horror  down  the  temple  drains, 
and  make  more  hateful  the  pit  of  Tophet. 


YEARS    OF    STUDY    IN    JERUSALEM.  105 

If  Jesus  also  stood  among  that  crowd,  Paul  did  not  know  it. 
It  is  more  likely  that  Paul's  father  was  there  again,  bringing 
with  him  those  tender  gifts  from  home,  laden  with  the  gold  of 
a  mother's  love,  and  pearled  with  her  tears,  of  such  little  value, 
and  yet  so  priceless.  He  would  tell  his  father  of  his  hard 
studies  and  austere  life  in  his  efforts  to  carry  out  all  that  his 
teacher,  Gamaliel,  said  a  Pharisee  ought  to  be.  And  when  he 
left  the  city  to  return  home  again,  it  would  be  with  feelings  of  joy 
that  Paul  was  becoming  a  master  of  the  intricacies  of  the  law ; 
for  he  did  not  know  that  he  was  arming  his  son  with  wonderfully 
sharp  weapons,  which  he  would  turn  against  his  teachers  in  years 
to  come. 


Years  of  Study  in  Jerusalem. 

JERUSALEM:    AGED  15-30. 

THE  years  spent  by  Paul  as  a  student  in  Jerusalem  would  be 
years  of  great  monotony  and  drudgery,  which  not  even  his 
enthusiasm  for  work  could  make  pleasant ;  for  it  was  a  long  pro- 
cess of  developing  his  powers  of  memory  and  blind  faith  in 
others,  and  that  is  depressing  and  stagnating.  In  our  schools  we 
encourage  children  to  think  and  be  original,  so  as  to  prepare  them 
for  the  life  that  lies  before  them  :  but  Paul  was  told  not  to  think 
for  himself,  and  that  he  must  not  be  original,  for  that  would 
be  wicked.  And  there  is  some  of  that  spirit  left  still  in  our 
theological  seminaries — a  sad  survival  of  the  days  of  Paul  and 
Gamaliel. 

Creeds  and  catechisms  are  not  the  best  things  with  which  to 
make  good  boys  and  girls,  but  they  are  trifles  compared  with  the 
endless  round  of  rules  and  traditions  which  Paul  had  to  drink  in 
without  question,  like  a  sponge  absorbing  all  that  is  held  to  it. 
Day  by  day  his  life  grew  narrower,  as  he  went  and  returned 
through  the  same  narrow  streets  of  the  city,  lined  with  high  houses 
to  keep  out  the  sunshine,  on  his  way  to  and  from  the  Gamaliel 
school  at  the  temple.  Rabbis  and  students,  priests  young  and 
old,  scribes  young  and  old,  Pharisees  of  all  kinds,  were  his  com- 
panions ;  sacrifices  and  temple  services,  washings,  prayers  by 
day  and  night,  were  his  monotonous  round,  with  every  act  of  his 
life  hemmed  in  and  regulated  for  him,  and  all  to  make  him  good, 
and  at  the  same  time  to  be  told  that  it  was  impossible  to  be  good 
by  keeping  the  Law.     That  was  hard  indeed  ! 

Not  only  was  his  life  narrowing,  but  each  day  found  him  one 
step  deeper  in  that  labyrinth  of  men's  rules  and  learning  which 


106  THE   ROMAN    STANDARDS. 

was  already  growing  dusk  around  him,  like  the  crossing  branches 
and  overhead  growth  of  a  wood  which  ere  long  will  end  in  com- 
plete darkness,  hiding  the  sun  at  noon.  And  he  was  told  that 
when  the  time  came  for  him  to  teach,  he  must  teach  only  what  he 
had  learned,  and  teach  it  all,  keeping  nothing  back  and  altering 
nothing. 

It  was  not  necessary  that  he  should  remain  constantly  in  the 
city,  and  never  leave  it,  during  all  his  student  years,  and  he  would 
sometimes  go  home  to  Tarsus  for  a  holiday.  A  mother's  love  is  a 
strong  magnet,  and  if  her  dear  son  is  within  travelling  distance, 
nothing  short  of  prohibition  will  prevent  her  drawing  him  to  her 
side  once  and  again,  if  only  that  she  may  look  into  his  eyes,  and 
read  there  the  signs  of  the  change  from  youth  to  manhood  which 
she  knows  so  well,  and  also  see  the  deep  light  which  tells  her  that 
she  still  keeps  his  heart. 

Paul  understood  about  ships  and  sails,  and  would  not  think 
much  of  going  down  to  the  seaport  of  Csesarea  at  the  season  of  the 
year  when  there  was  no  lack  of  ships  going  north  to  Tarsus,  and 
taking  his  passage  in  one  of  them.  With  a  favourable  wind  even 
a  slow  ship  could  sail  the  distance  of  three  hundred  miles  in  about 
ten  days,  and  after  a  festival  there  were  always  plenty  of  companions 
going  on  the  same  voyage.  As  with  many  another  student,  a  stay 
at  home  would  lift  him  out  of  the  fever  of  his  constant  studies, 
and  a  month  or  two  of  rest  would  send  him  back  stronger  in  body 
and  clearer  in  mind,  and  more  than  ever  determined  to  take  a 
high  place  among  the  rabbis. 

But  he  lived  in  troublous  times  :  changes  were  taking  place, 
and  things  happening  in  the  country  and  in  Jerusalem,  of  which 
he  would  hear,  and  in  which,  with  his  fiery  spirit,  he  would  per- 
haps take  a  part.  If  help  was  required  to  assert  the  rights  of 
the  rabbis,  the  priests,  and  the  temple  against  the  Romans,  Paul 
would  not  remain  in  the  background,  but  would  follow  the  for- 
tunes of  his  people  in  their  struggle  against  the  foreign  rulers, 
with  an  interest  not  the  less  keen  that  he  was  only  a  student, 
and  not  a  leader  in  the  city. 


The    Roman    Standards. 

JERUSALEM:    AGED  15-30. 

PAUL  would  not  hear  of  the  death  at  Tomi  of  Ovid,  the  great 
Latin  poet,  whose  verses  are  in  our  school  books  ;  for  if  his 
"Metamorphoses"  had  been  put  before  him,  he  would  have  turned 


THE   ROMAN    STANDARDS.  107 

away  from  it,  as  a  book  he  was  forbidden  to  read.  But  he  would 
hear  other  news  from  Rome  of  a  different  kind  which  fired  him 
with  anger  against  the  conquerors.  The  Emperor  Tiberius  had 
taken  a  dislike  to  the  Jews  of  Rome,  because  some  of  them,  he 
said,  had  cheated  Fulvia,  a  Roman  lady  who  had  joined  their 
religion ;  and  he  sent  off  four  thousand  of  them  to  fight  brigands 
in  Sardinia,  and  ordered  all  the  rest  either  to  give  up  their 
religion  or  leave  Rome  within  a  certain  time.  And  Paul  would 
see  many  Jews  in  Jerusalem  who  had  returned  thither  rather 
than  obey  the  emperor's  command  to  cease  worshipping  God ;  but 
the  emperor  did  not  carry  out  his  order  very  strictly,  and  there 
were  soon  plenty  of  Jews  in  Rome  again. 

It  is  unlikely  that  Paul  had  yet  joined  the  Zealots,  although 
there  is  little  doubt  he  joined  them  later  on.  They  were  already 
numerous  in  the  country,  and  were  a  trouble  to  the  Romans  and 
a  terror  to  their  own  countrymen ;  and  the  banishment  of  the 
Jews  from  Rome  had  increased  their  hatred  of  the  conquerors — a 
hatred  which  Paul  shared. 

The  Roman  governor  at  Jerusalem  had  also  put  on  a  land  tax 
that  was  to  come  before  all  other  taxes,  and  had  given  the  tax- 
gatherers  power  to  collect  it ;  and  Paul  thought  with  the  priests 
that  this  was  putting  the  emperor  before  God.  He  knew  that 
*'  Zealous  for  the  Law  "  was  the  cry  of  the  Zealots,  which  meant 
that  they  would  obey  no  law  but  the  law  of  Moses,  even  if  it 
were  a  Roman  command.  Some  of  them  were  opposed  to  stab- 
bing and  murder,  but  there  were  other  Zealots  who  carried  daggers 
under  their  cloaks,  and  thought  they  were  serving  God  and  their 
country  by  stabbing  people  in  the  back.  Others  of  them  roused 
their  countrymen  to  fight  in  an  open  fashion,  and  were  swiftly 
punished ;  but  others  were  Zealots  in  secret,  who  hoped  for  a  good 
day  coming. 

Csesarea  by  the  sea  had  been  made  a  great  Roman  city  by 
the  Romans,  who  built  strong  forts  and  barracks,  and  filled 
them  with  thousands  of  soldiers,  and  called  it  the  capital  of  the 
country.  There  the  governor  lived,  and  there  an  open-air  circus 
and  a  racecourse  were  built  by  King  Herod  to  please  his  Roman 
friends,  where  they  could  enjoy  games  and  races  in  the  true 
Roman  fashion. 

At  every  festival  Paul  saw  the  Roman  soldiers  entering  Jeru- 
salem, and  marching  through  the  streets  to  the  Tower  of  Antonia, 
with  their  shining  brass  armour  and  short  bronze  swords ;  for 
they  had  come  up  from  Csesarea  with  the  governor,  to  keep 
order  amongst  the  thousands  of  pilgrims  who  came  to  these 
great   gatherings   in   the   temple.      He   knew   that    the    Roman 


108  THE    ROMAN    STANDARDS. 

governor  could  say  who  should  be  the  high  priest,  and  that  he 
sometimes  put  away  one  who  was  liked  by  the  people,  and  put  up 
another  whom  they  hated.  He  heard,  too,  that  the  Sanhedrim 
had  sent  a  deputation  of  leading  men  to  Rome,  to  tell  the 
Emperor  Tiberius  that  the  Roman  taxes  which  the  governor  had 
put  on  were  too  heavy,  and  that  the  emperor  had  paid  no  heed 
to  them,  for  the  taxes  remained  as  heavy  as  ever. 

He  heard  also  that  the  governor  had  made  a  law  saying  that 
while  the  Sanhedrim  could  try  people  for  oflfences  against  the 
laws  of  Moses,  he  could  set  aside  these  sentences,  and  that  he 
would  not  let  them  try  a  Roman  citizen  at  all.  And  thus,  from 
the  high  priest  to  the  poorest  beggar,  the  people  were  told  that 
they  must  obey  the  Roman  laws,  whether  they  agreed  with  the 
laws  of  Moses  or  no.  He  knew  that  under  the  grinding  oppres- 
sion of  a  Roman  governor  the  people  hated  their  conquerors 
more  than  they  had  ever  done  when  they  had  a  Jewish  prince 
as  governor. 

Paul  would  see  Pontius  Pilate  when  he  rode  into  Jerusalem 
at  the  head  of  his  soldiers  as  the  new  governor,  and  would  be 
told  that  he  looked  upon  Jews  as  Roman  slaves.  It  was  the 
custom  for  the  soldiers  to  take  off  the  little  silver  figures  of  the 
emperor  from  their  standards  before  entering  Jerusalem,  because 
the  Jews  would  not  allow  any  images  within  its  walls.  But 
Pilate  thought  this  was  an  impertinence.  And  one  morning 
Paul  heard  news  which  set  the  city  in  an  uproar.  Pilate's 
soldiers  had  marched  in  during  the  night,  and  were  in  barracks 
close  by  the  temple,  with  the  images  still  on  their  standards. 
Messengers  were  sent  out  of  the  city  into  the  country  round 
about,  rousing  the  people  to  come  in  and  save  the  temple  from 
being  profaned ;  and  Paul  saw  them  streaming  in  their  thousands, 
until  the  temple  was  crowded. 

The  Sanhedrim  met,  and  the  Zealots  wished  to  attack  the 
Roman  band  at  once  and  fling  their  standards  over  the  city 
walls;  but  others  said  no,  or  they  would  all  be  killed.  And 
they  sent  some  of  their  chief  men  in  haste  to  Pilate,  who  was 
at  Csesarea,  to  beg  him  to  order  the  standards  to  be  taken  away. 
And  Paul  may  have  been  in  the  crowd  which  walked  that  day 
from  Jerusalem  to  Csesarea,  where  for  six  days  and  nights  they 
surrounded  his  palace,  shouting,  "  Take  them  away ;  take  them 
away !  "  At  last  Pilate  sent  word  that  he  would  meet  them  in  the 
great  circus,  and  he  had  the  seats  all  round  filled  with  armed 
soldiers  ;  but  the  Jews  were  not  afraid,  and  renewed  their  cries, 
louder  than  ever.  At  a  sign  from  his  hand  the  soldiers  drew 
their  flashing  swords,  and  prepared  to  go  in  amongst  the  Jews. 


THE   GOLDEN    SHIELDS.  109 

But  when  they  heard  the  order  and  saw  the  glittering  blades, 
they  went  down  on  their  knees,  and  baring  their  throats,  called 
that  they  would  rather  die  than  have  the  law  of  Moses  broken. 

Then  Pilate  wavered.  He  feared  to  order  his  soldiers  to 
strike,  for  the  news  of  such  a  slaughter  would  be  carried  swiftly 
to  the  ears  of  his  master,  the  emperor,  at  Rome,  and  he  might  be 
angry.  With  a  frown  upon  his  face  he  said  the  standards  would 
be  withdrawn  from  Jerusalem,  and  the  Jews  screamed  with  joy, 
for  they  had  triumphed. 

And  Paul  would  see  the  crowds  coming  back  from  Csesarea, 
and  the  Roman  standards  being  carried  out  of  the  city,  while  the 
people  rejoiced  for  days  over  their  great  victory. 


The    Golden    Shields. 

JERUSALEM  :    AGED  15-30. 

ANOTHER  riot  took  place  in  Jerusalem,  led  on  by  the  Zealots, 
^t\  and  Pilate  was  again  the  cause.  It  was  a  common  thing 
for  rich  Romans  to  have  ornamental  shields  of  gold  made,  with 
the  emperor's  name  and  their  own  name  engraved  upon  them, 
and  to  hang  them  up  in  temples  where  the  peoj^le  could  see  them, 
and  think  how  good  they  were  to  so  honour  the  emperor.  It 
was  a  childish  thing  to  do,  but  people  sometimes  do  very  foolish 
things  when  they  wish  to  please  kings  and  princes  and  win  their 
favour.  And  Pilate,  who  was  anxious  to  please  and  flatter  the 
Emperor  Tiberius,  got  some  of  these  gold  shields  made  and  en- 
graved, and  taken  secretly  into  Jerusalem ;  and  one  morning  the 
news  flew  through  the  city  that  they  were  hung  upon  the  outer 
walls  of  Herod's  grand  palace,  where  Pilate  lived,  on  Mount  Zion. 

The  rabbis  and  the  priests  at  once  roused  the  people,  telling 
them  that  the  gold  shields  were  worse  than  images,  for  they  were 
equal  to  altars  to  the  Roman  emperor  inside  the  city;  and  that 
as  it  was  against  the  law  of  IMoses  to  have  altars  to  any  but 
God,  they  must  be  taken  away.  Again  they  went  in  a  crowd  to 
Pilate,  begging  him  to  take  the  shields  down ;  but  he  refused. 
The  agitation  spread  out  into  the  country,  for  the  priests  said  it 
was  an  insult  to  their  God,  and  the  people  believed  them.  But 
Pilate  remained  firm- — he  would  not  take  the  gold  shields  down ; 
and  Paul  may  have  seen  them  hanging  for  days  in  the  sunshine, 
guarded  by  Roman  soldiers. 

But  Antipas,  Herod's  son,  was  a  favourite  of  Tiberius,  and 


110  ROMAN   OPPRESSION. 

when  he  told  the  emperor,  he  sent  orders  to  Pilate  to  take  them 
away,  and  hang  them  up  in  Caesarea  if  he  liked.  And  so,  amid 
the  rejoicings  of  the  whole  city,  Paul  saw  the  gold  shields  taken 
down,  never  to  appear  in  Jerusalem  again,  and  he  would  rejoice 
with  the  priests  and  rabbis  that  Pilate  had  been  defeated  a  second 
time. 

Once  more  he  would  see  the  city  stirred  with  excitement 
and  anger  against  Pilate,  all  the  more  bitter  that  he  had  dared 
to  touch  the  money  of  the  temple,  which  the  priests  said  was 
sacred.  But  Pilate  was  right  this  time.  The  water  canal  that 
supplied  the  city  was  old  and  broken,  and  he  said  he  would 
take  some  of  the  huge  wealth  stored  up  in  the  dark  chambers 
of  the  temple  and  spend  it  on  improving  the  supply  from  the 
distant  hills.  The  priests  and  the  Levites,  and  all  who  lived 
off  the  temple,  and  many  more,  replied  that  it  was  holy  money, 
and  must  not  be  touched ;  but  he  paid  no  attention  to  their 
scolding.  The  stone  watercourse  was  falling  to  pieces,  the  people 
must  have  water,  and  the  temple  would  get  its  share. 

The  priests  continued  to  stir  up  the  people  ;  but  Pilate  paid  no 
heed,  and  ordered  the  masons  and  the  labourers  to  go  on  with  their 
work.  The  priests  got  a  crowd  to  follow  them  across  the  valley 
bridge  and  into  the  palace  grounds,  and  had  hardly  begun  their 
cries  when  strange  men,  who  were  everywhere  in  their  midst,  at  a 
sign  from  an  unknown  leader,  threw  off  their  long  Jewish  cloaks, 
which  concealed  Roman  soldiers,  and  with  heavy  clubs  they  clubbed 
and  beat  the  people,  driving  them  in  a  terrified  crowd  out  of  the 
palace  grounds,  down  the  streets,  over  the  bridge,  and  into  the 
temple  itself.  They  did  not  even  stop  there,  but  struck  down 
some  men  who  were  offering  sacrifices,  so  that  their  blood  mingled 
with  the  blood  of  the  animals  they  had  slain.  And  this  was  looked 
upon  as  a  terrible  thing,  although  you  will  think  it  was  much  more 
horrible  that  some  of  the  poor  people  were  clubbed  to  death  by  the 
cruel  soldiers. 


Roman    Oppression. 

JERUSALEM:    AGED   15-30. 

BUILDING  steadily,  and  taking  the  temple  money,  Pilate 
finished  repairing  the  great  watercourse  which  brought 
the  water  for  miles  through  hills  and  valleys  ;  and  in  after  years 
people  rejoiced  over  the  fine  supply  of  pure  water,  and  forgot 
all  about  how  it  had  been  got.      But   before  the   works  were 


EOMAN   OPPRESSION.  Ill 

quite  finished  an  accident  happened  of  which  Paul  would  hear  a 
great  deal.  A  stone  tower  near  the  Pool  of  Siloam  fell,  and  killed 
some  of  the  workmen ;  and  the  rabbis  seeing  their  opportunity, 
told  the  people,  who  believed  it,  that  it  fell  because  Pilate  had 
taken  the  temple  money,  but  they  did  not  explain  why  the  rest 
of  the  stonework  did  not  also  fall. 

These  are  a  few  of  the  stirring  things  which  happened  about 
the  time  that  Paul  was  a  student,  and  he  would  not  fail  to  see 
that  the  iron  hand  of  Rome  was  everywhere  laid  on  a  people  who 
were  not  strong  enough  to  throw  it  off.  What  with  taxes  which 
they  found  it  very  hard  to  pay,  and  rules  so  numerous  that  it  was 
impossible  to  keep  them,  deception  and  hypocrisy  became  common. 
The  scribes  and  Pharisees  invented  many  cunning  little  ways  to 
avoid  keeping  the  strict  rules  which  they  laid  on  the  common 
people ;  but  still  there  were  men,  among  whom  Paul  and  his 
teacher  Gamaliel  may  be  counted,  who  sincerely  believed  all  that 
they  had  learned,  and  earnestly  tried  to  carry  it  out,  however 
small  and  hard  it  might  be. 

The  Roman  oppression  and  the  conduct  of  Pilate  had  the  effect 
of  heightening  the  peoj)le's  love  for  Jerusalem  and  the  temple. 
The  more  they  thought  that  the  great  temple  was  in  danger,  the 
more  deep  and  fierce  was  their  hatred  of  any  one,  whether  Jew  or 
foreigner,  who  dared  to  speak  a  word  against  it,  or  who  sought  to 
alter  their  manner  of  worshipping  God  or  of  thinking  of  Him. 

But  the  time  was  fast  approaching  when  a  new  light  would 
arise — a  light  which  would  make  the  rabbis  mad  with  rage,  and 
Paul  not  less  so ;  for  his  heart  was  filled  with  burning  zeal  for 
the  Law  of  Moses,  the  traditions  of  the  rabbis,  the  temple,  and 
all  that  was  in  it,  and  the  Zealots  threatened  death  to  any  one 
who  should  attempt  to  speak  against  these  things. 

This  they  called  "blasphemy,"  which  originally  meant  "speak- 
ing against  God,"  and  by  the  Law  of  Moses  the  punishment  was 
death  by  stoning.  But  the  rabbis  widened  out  the  word.  They 
said  that  any  one  who  spoke  against  the  temple,  the  Law  of 
Moses,  the  Traditions,  and  many  other  things,  was  a  blasphemer, 
for  it  was  the  same  as  speaking  against  God  Himself.  And  because 
they  said  this,  Paul  believed  it,  and  was  ready  to  help  to  stone  any 
one  whom  the  rabbis  had  tried  and  found  guilty.  But  their  ideas 
of  blasphemy  are  so  different  from  ours,  that  it  is  difficult  to  under- 
stand how  honest  men  could  think  that  calling  a  stone  building 
hard  names  could  in  any  way  be  speaking  against  God,  and  we 
shall  see  before  long  to  what  impious  thoughts  and  terrible  crimes 
the  people  were  led  by  this  false  and  wicked  teaching. 

During  his  years  of  study  Paul  passed  from  a  youth  into  a 


112  LONGING    FOR    THE    MESSIAH. 

mature  man ;  for  teachers  were  expected  to  study  for  ten  years 
before  they  were  considered  to  know  enough  to  begin  work,  and 
even  then  no  one  could  say  he  was  a  complete  master  of  the  whole 
Law  and  the  Traditions. 

It  is  supposed  that  he  left  Jerusalem  and  Palestine  before 
he  was  thirty,  and  it  is  natural  to  think  that  he  went  home  to 
Tarsus.  He  had  learned  and  seen  much,  and  of  this  he  was 
certain,  that  the  only  hope  for  his  nation  was  the  coming  of  the 
Messiah,  who  would  deliver  them  from  the  grinding  oppression  of 
the  Romana  But  while  leader  after  leader  had  risen  in  past 
years  saying  he  was  the  Messiah,  and  had  deceived  the  people 
for  a  time,  they  were  always  put  down,  and  usually  killed,  by 
the  Roman  governors.  Yet  the  people  had  not  lost  hope,  and 
the  almost  unbearable  tyranny  of  their  rulers,  both  Roman  and 
Jewish,  had  roused  deep  longings  and  a  yearning  belief,  which 
was  encouraged  by  the  rabbis  and  the  Zealots,  that  the  true 
Messiah  would  come  soon.  Indeed,  it  was  whispered  about  that 
He  was  already  in  hiding  somewhere,  as  the  prophets  had  foretold, 
until  the  right  time  should  come  for  leading  the  nation  to  victory. 


Longing  for  the  Messiah. 

TARSUS:    AGED  15-30. 

PAUL  was  not  yet  a  rabbi ;  he  was  too  yoUng  for  that.  He 
was  only  one  of  Gamaliel's  leading  students.  He  had  not 
mastered  anything  like  the  whole  of  the  Law  and  the  Traditions — 
for  no  man  could  do  that,  even  if  he  kept  learning  them  until  his 
hair  was  white — but  as  a  learned  young  Pharisee,  he  mingled  with 
scribes  and  lawyers  as  his  equals,  and  he  was  an  enthusiast.  He 
loved  the  Law  and  the  Traditions  with  his  whole  heart,  and  hated, 
even  to  death  itself,  any  who  dared  to  speak  against  them.  There 
are  no  enthusiasts  like  religious  ones,  and  no  judges  of  others  more 
severe  than  young  men. 

When  he  came  back  to  Tarsus,  it  was  as  a  learned  young  Jew 
whose  knowledge  had  been  gained  at  the  very  heart  of  Jewish 
learning — Jerusalem,  the  centre  of  the  world — and  he  would  take 
his  place  in  the  small,  dark  synagogue,  among  the  leading  men, 
who  sat  upon  the  chief  seat,  facing  the  congregation.  And  we 
may  be  certain  that  at  the  synagogue  services,  when  the  time 
came  for  an  address  on  the  passage  of  Scripture  for  the  day 
which  had  been  read,  the  people  would  hearken  to  Paul  when  he 


LONGING   FOR   THE    MESSIAH.  113 

spoke  as  to  one  whose  words  were  well  worth  listening  to,  for  he 
had  learned  them  at  the  feet  of  the  great  doctor,  Gamaliel. 

He  would  find  many  changes  at  Tarsus  since  he  first  left 
it.  Girls  were  now  grown  women,  boys  were  bearded  men,  while 
amongst  his  aged  friends  there  were  blanks  that  told  of  death. 
But  he  was  at  home  again  in  the  city  by  the  sparkling  river, 
and  would  resume  his  trade  of  weaving,  shaping,  sewing,  and 
finishing  tents,  and  setting  them  up  in  all  their  bright  colours,  and 
selling  them  in  the  surrounding  country.  And  as  he  travelled  to 
and  fro,  up  into  the  dark  hills  and  over  the  wide  plains,  to  buy 
wool  or  to  sell  his  cloth,  into  whatever  town  he  went  he  would 
attend  the  synagogue,  and  teach  the  Law  and  the  Traditions  as 
they  had  been  taught  to  him ;  for  he  could  speak  with  the  know- 
ledge, if  not  with  the  authority,  of  a  rabbi. 

By  long  labour  and  hard  study  he  had  prepared  himself  to 
be  a  strenuous  upholder  of  the  national  religion,  and  of  the  Law 
and  the  Traditions,  hoary  with  age  and  authority;  but  there 
were  things  about  to  happen  in  Jerusalem  and  Judea  that  would 
meet  him  in  the  face  before  many  years.  Liberty  was  about  to  be 
proclaimed  to  the  people,  not  from  the  Romans,  but  from  the  rabbis 
who  had  enslaved  them— a  liberty  which  would  break  the  fetters 
of  tyranny  and  bondage  into  which  Paul  had  so  completely  passed. 

Everywhere  the  Jews  were  in  anxious  expectation  of  the 
Messiah  ;  but  Paul  knew  more  than  the  common  people  about 
His  coming,  for  he  had  heard  Gamaliel  speaking  of  Him  with 
an  earnestness  that  had  stirred  up  longings  of  the  deepest 
kind.  He  had  been  told  that  His  coming  was  the  one  golden 
hope  upon  which  the  nation  had  been  hanging  for  centuries. 
Some  of  the  rabbis  had  even  told  the  people  openly  that  the 
Messianic  year  was  at  hand,  and  that  any  day  or  any  night  they 
might  hear  that  He  had  appeared.  Paul  knew  that  this  hope 
was  so  strong  in  the  people  that  when  any  fanatic  wished  to  rouse 
them  to  follow  him,  he  had  only  to  call  himself  the  Messiah,  and 
to  declare  that  he  could  work  miracles,  and  many  would  follow. 
And  he  would  think  with  sorrow  of  how  this  longing  for  a  deliverer 
had  been  used  by  false  men,  who  had  deceived  the  people  for  a 
time.  One  of  them  led  the  crowds  down  to  the  Jordan  to  see 
him  dry  up  the  river,  that  they  might  walk  through ;  but  it  did 
not  happen.  Another  took  them  to  the  top  of  a  hill,  to  see  the 
walls  of  Jerusalem  fall  down  at  his  command ;  but  they  did  not 
fall.  Another  led  them  out  into  the  lonely  country,  to  wait  for  a 
sign ;  but  no  sign  came.  Others  had  got  them  to  rise  against  the 
Romans;  but  always  with  the  same  result — the  Roman  swords 
cut  them  to  pieces. 

(1,040)  8 


114  JOHN    THE   BAPTIST. 

These  were  terrible  disappointments :  but  still  the  rabbis 
taught,  and  Paul  believed,  that  if  the  Jews  would  only  truly 
repent  of  their  wickedness,  the  Messiah  would  at  once  appear; 
or  if  one  Pharisee  could  but  succeed  in  keeping  the  whole  law 
for  one  single  day,  He  would  come.  And  he  thought  how  glori- 
ous it  would  be  if  he  could,  on  some  day  of  his  life,  attain  to 
this  perfection,  and  be  the  means  of  bringing  about  that  great 
deliverance  of  his  nation.  And  thus,  while  entangling  his  feet 
more  and  more  in  the  network  of  the  Law  and  the  Traditions, 
the  stories  and  the  commands  of  the  rabbis,  over  his  head  was 
unrolled  the  nation's  dream,  that  an  end  would  soon  come  to  all 
their  troubles  by  the  appearing  of  their  great  conquering  Messiah 
and  future  King. 


John  the   Baptist. 

JORDAN:    AGED  15-30. 

JOHN  THE  BAPTIST,  the  son  of  a  chief  priest  and  cousin 
of  Jesus,  clothing  himself  with  a  garment  of  coarse  camel's 
hair,  and  girding  himself  with  a  leather  belt,  had  appeared  in 
lonely  places  and  at  fords  of  the  river  Jordan,  where  pilgrims 
passed  on  their  way  to  and  from  Jerusalem,  to  deliver,  with  all 
the  fire  and  earnestness  of  an  old  prophet,  a  message  for  the  people. 
He  wore  no  white  robe  or  phylactery,  no  sandals  on  his  feet  or 
covering  on  his  head,  and  his  black  hair  hung  thick  upon  his 
shoulders,  for  it  had  never  been  cut.  His  face  was  brown  with  the 
sun,  and  with  fire  glowing  in  his  dark  eyes  he  stood  out  upon 
a  rising  ground,  calling  to  the  people,  as  they  passed  by,  a 
message  from  God  that  they  were  to  prepare  for  the  coming 
Messiah,  who  would  soon  appear ;  and  he  bade  them  be  baptized 
in  the  river  below,  and  confess  their  sins.  And  when  they  asked 
what  he  meant,  he  answered, — 

"I  baptize  you  with  water,  but  there  cometh  One  that  is 
mightier  than  I,  the  buckle  of  whose  shoe  I  am  not  worthy  to 
unloose.     He  shall  baptize  you  with  the  Holy  Spirit." 

His  earnestness  impressed  the  people,  and  many  believed  that 
he  had  a  true  message,  and  that  the  expected  Messiah  was  at 
hand ;  and  he  caused  a  great  stir  among  them,  both  at  the  Jordan 
and  when  they  went  up  to  the  temple,  where  he  was  known.  For 
his  father  was  a  priest  of  Hebron,  some  miles  beyond  Jerusalem, 
and  he  may  have  been  a  student  at  the  temple  when  Paul  was 
there.      Many  people  went  down   to   the  Jordan   to  hear   him 


JOHN   THE   BAPTIST.  115 

speak  and  to  be  baptized,  and  some  thought  that  perhaps  he  him- 
self was  the  Messiah.  He  said  nothing  against  the  Romans,  and 
told  the  people  to  go  quietly  away  and  be  good,  and  prepare  for 
the  coming  Messiah — that  was  all ;  and  so  the  Romans  paid  no 
heed  to  him.  But  the  impression  spread  over  Judea  and  into 
Galilee  that  John  was  a  prophet,  and  that  what  he  said  would 
come  true ;  and  even  the  rabbis  hoped  it  might  be  true,  and 
liked  him  for  it. 

Jesus,  in  His  carpenter's  shed  at  Nazareth,  heard  the  news 
of  what  His  strange  cousin  was  saying  at  the  fords  of  Jordan,  and 
His  spirit  was  stirred.  He  must  leave  His  quiet  village  among 
the  hills  and  go  down  amongst  the  people,  to  tell  them  the  truth 
of  God  as  He  knew  it.  John  was  lifting  his  eyes  to  the  hills, 
looking  and  calling  for  the  Messiah,  the  Saviour.  Not  under  the 
gilded  roof  of  a  king's  palace,  not  hiding  in  a  dark  cave  of  the 
mountains,  would  He  be  found,  but  in  a  carpenter's  shed,  working 
from  red  dawn  to  grey  dusk,  amid  shavings  and  sawdust,  among 
familiar  friends  in  a  highland  village.  John's  hand  was  beckoning, 
John's  voice  was  calling.  God  was  moving  Him.  His  hour  had 
come,  and  Jesus  was  ready. 

With  sandalled  feet  and  staff  in  hand,  dressed  in  a  peasant's 
white  tunic  and  heavy  blue  cloak.  His  face  shaded  by  the  hang- 
ing fold  of  the  kerchief  that  covered  His  brown  hair.  He  bade 
farewell  to  His  mother,  sisters,  brothers,  and  passed  out  of  the 
village.  To  the  villagers  the  Carpenter  of  Nazareth  departed; 
to  mankind  the  Saviour  of  the  world  appeared.  Coming  down 
from  the  thymy  hills  to  the  rocky  river,  He  stood  among  the 
crowds  that  were  listening  to  John  at  the  fords  of  the  Jordan. 

Had  Paul  been  asked  what  the  Messiah  would  be  like  on  His 
appearing,  he  would  have  said,  like  a  prince  girt  for  war,  with 
fire  encircling  his  head,  and  flame  issuing  from  his  mouth,  with 
which  to  vanquish  all  his  enemies.  But  no  halo  was  round  this 
Carpenter's  head,  save  the  halo  of  a  beautiful  countenance;  no 
arms  were  in  His  hands,  only  a  countryman's  staff.  But  His 
eyes  glowed  with  unquenchable  fire,  and  His  lips  were  touched 
with  language  quicker  than  flame,  sharper  than  a  sword.  John 
did  not  look  for  an  armed  prince,  and  when  he  saw  Jesus,  he 
exclaimed  to  the  wondering  people, — 

"There  standeth  One  among  you  whom  you  do  not  know. 
He  it  is  that  shall  come  after  me,  and  the  buckle  of  whose 
shoe  I  am  not  worthy  to  unloose." 

When  he  baptized  Him,  Jesus  heard  a  voice  saying, — 

"Thou  art  my  beloved  Son;  in  Thee  I  am  well  pleased." 

Although  Jesus  went  away  alone,  John  told  the  people  from 


116  JESUS    AND   THE    EABBIS. 

that  hour  that  the  Messiah  had  come,  and  he  had  seen  Him,  and 
He  was  the  Son  of  God,  who  would  take  away  the  sins  of  the 
world.  But  the  people  did  not  believe  him.  They  expected  a 
great  prince,  and  they  had  seen  none.  But  John  continued  to 
say  that  the  Messiah  had  come ;  and  the  people  talked  among 
themselves,  for  they  liked  John.  Even  the  priests  and  scribes  said 
he  was  a  good  man,  for  he  belonged  to  the  strict  sect  of  Nazarites, 
who  lived  lives  of  great  self-denial.  And  they  came  from  Jeru- 
salem to  hear  him,  and  smiled,  and  would  not  believe.  But  still 
he  kept  saying  that  the  Messiah  had  come,  the  promised  Saviour 
of  the  people. 


Jesus  and  the  Rabbis. 

JERUSALEM:    AGED  15-30. 

JESUS  went  away  alone,  into  the  desert  country  beyond  the 
Dead  Sea,  to  think  of  what  He  had  heard  at  the  fords  of 
Jordan ;  and  when  He  returned  He  gathered  friends  round  Him, 
some  being  John's  disciples,  whom  he  bade  leave  him  and  follow 
the  Messiah.  Within  three  months  Jesus  had  spoken  words  to 
the  people  in  the  temple  which  gave  such  offence  to  the  priests 
that  they  never  forgot  them  or  forgave  Him,  and  used  them  against 
Him  when  He  was  taken  a  prisoner.  Paul  was  not  there,  but  he 
heard  of  it. 

Jesus  had  left  His  quiet  village  to  tell  the  people  a  simpler 
way  to  worship  God,  a  better  way  to  be  good,  than  the  priests 
and  rabbis  taught,  and  what  He  said  made  the  rabbis  so  angry 
that  they  gave  orders  He  was  not  to  be  allowed  to  speak  in  their 
synagogues.  He  continued  to  speak  in  friends'  houses  and  in  the 
open  air.  He  told  the  people  that  the  rabbis  were  false  teachers, 
and  He  did  not  use  their  sayings,  but  spoke  His  own  words ;  and 
He  broke  their  petty  rules,  saying  that  they  laid  coromands  on  the 
people  which  they  themselves  did  not  obey. 

He  proclaimed  religious  liberty,  saying  that  neither  to 
Samaria  nor  to  Jerusalem  would  men  go  to  worship  God,  for  the 
time  had  come  when  men  would  worship  God  everywhere  in 
spirit  and  in  truth ;  adding  these  words  of  living  fire,  which 
would  overthrow  the  temple  worship  and  put  an  end  to  the  cruel 
and  barbarous  rites,  the  gorgeous  shows,  the  slaughter  and  the 
fires  of  their  dreadful  sacrifices  : — 

"God  is  a  Spirit,  and  must  be  worshipped  in  spirit  and  in 
truth." 


JESUS    AND   THE    RABBIS.  117 

God  did  not  dwell  behind  a  gorgeous  curtain,  in  a  dark  cham- 
ber lined  with  gold,  as  the  priests  said,  nor  did  He  love  the  smell 
of  incense,  or  delight  in  the  slaughter  of  bulls  and  the  sight  of 
poured-out  blood.  God  is  a  Spirit,  who  makes  known  His  will 
to  all  who  approach  Him  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  not  with  gifts 
in  their  hands,  but  with  contrite  hearts. 

Before  a  year  was  over,  He  had  spoken  that  great  address  in 
Galilee,  since  called  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  which  Paul  did 
not  hear,  although  he  heard  about  it,  and  which  in  centuries  to 
come  would  rise  above  the  laws  and  statutes  of  INIoses  and  the 
useless  heap  of  traditions.  He  opposed  the  rabbis,  telling  the 
people  that  they  were  not  to  do  as  they  told  them,  but  as  He  told 
them ;  and  in  this  He  committed  what  to  Paul  was  an  unpardon- 
able offence  by  teaching  His  own  gospel.  But  Jesus  was  taught 
of  God,  and  needed  not  the  teaching  of  men.  The  rabbis  were 
enraged.  They  had  made  a  law  that  no  one  was  to  teach  unless 
he  had  passed  through  their  colleges  at  Jerusalem,  as  Paul  had 
done,  and  they  denounced  Jesus  as  one  who  had  no  authority  to 
say  anything,  and  ordered  the  people  not  to  listen  to  Him.  But 
they  listened  still.  And  when  Jesus  told  the  people  to  pay  no 
heed  to  what  the  rabbis  taught,  but  to  do  as  He  told  them.  He 
did  a  thing  which  no  teacher  had  ever  done  before.  And  the 
rabbis  told  the  people  that  He  was  an  ignorant  peasant;  and 
when  they  saw  them  crowding  still  to  listen  to  Him,  they  said 
that  He  was  mad.     But  still  the  people  listened. 

Not  only  did  Jesus  continue  to  tell  the  people  not  to  obey 
the  rules  of  the  rabbis,  but  He  calmly  broke  them  Himself,  as  an 
example.  The  priests  had  said  that  no  man  must  work  on  the 
Sabbath  day ;  He  replied  that  they  themselves  worked.  The 
rabbis  had  strict  rules  about  hand-washings ;  He  said  these  rules 
were  foolishness.  They  said  the  people  should  fast ;  He  did  not 
fast.  They  said  the  people  should  swear  and  take  oaths  ;  He  said. 
Swear  not.  He  set  aside  their  rules  about  dish- washings,  about 
eating  this  and  not  eating  that,  about  marriage  and  divorce,  about 
clean  and  unclean,  and  many  more.  In  one  speech  He  swept  aside 
all  the  foolish  traditions  which  Paul  had  been  learning  for  years, 
saying  that  they  were  the  rules  of  men  and  not  of  God. 

He  spoke  against  their  heaps  of  useless  learning,  saying  that 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  was  opened  not  to  the  learned  but  to  the 
simple,  and  that  the  rules  of  the  rabbis  were  like  a  wall  that  kept 
men  out.  Again  and  again  He  said  that  unless  a  man  came  to 
God  with  the  trust  of  a  little  child,  he  would  not  enter  His 
kingdom.  He  was  the  first  teacher  to  praise  children  in  this 
way,  and  hold  them  up  as  an  example  to  grown  men.     And  He 


118  COME,    FOLLOW   ME. 

has  been  called  the  Friend  of  little  children,  for  they  never  had  a 
dearer  friend. 

The  rabbis  hated  Him,  and  would  not  believe  that  He  was  the 
Saviour.  The  very  thought  was  an  offence  to  them.  Jesus  did 
not  go  about  saying  He  was.  He  left  the  people  to  say  it.  But 
the  priests  could  wait  no  longer,  and  one  day  they  asked  Him 
in  the  temple  if  He  was  the  Messiah  ;  and  when  He  said  He 
was,  they  told  the  people  to  stone  Him.  But  many  believed, 
saying  that  the  Messiah  could  not  be  greater  than  He.  At  one 
time  the  people  wished  to  make  Him  a  king,  for  they  believed 
that  the  Messiah  would  be  their  king  and  lead  them  against 
the  Romans.  But  He  refused.  He  would  never  be  a  king  of 
armies  and  soldiers,  of  provinces  and  cities  ;  for  His  kingdom 
was  in  the  hearts  of  men,  women,  and  little  children  who  fol- 
lowed Him  in  gentleness,  goodness,  and  peace.  And  so  He 
changed  the  thoughts  of  many  as  to  what  the  Messiah  should 
be ;  for  instead  of  ruling  an  outside  world  with  battle  and  con- 
quest, He  would  rule  in  their  hearts  alone,  and  their  victories 
were  to  be  not  over  others,  but  over  themselves. 


Come,  Follow  Me. 

GALILEE:    AGED  15-80. 

FOR  three  years  Jesus  went  about  Palestine,  speaking  in 
the  golden  temple,  on  the  white  beach  by  the  lake  side, 
amid  the  green  hills  of  Samaria,  and  down  by  the  rocky  Jordan, 
spreading  everywhere  the  glad  tidings  of  the  kingdom  of  God, 
proclaiming  freedom  to  the  bound,  denouncing  the  rabbis  and 
their  rules,  and  telling  the  people  that  God  did  not  delight  in 
gifts  and  sacrifices,  but  in  the  daily  service  of  a  good  life  and 
the  worship  of  a  pure  heart.  Their  false  teachers  had  bound 
grievous  burdens  upon  the  people  with  their  rules  and  customs, 
their  laws  and  their  traditions,  their  tithes  and  taxes,  their  gifts 
and  sacrifices,  pointing  ever  to  their  rules  and  repeating  the 
words  of  some  one  else.  Jesus  said  that  they  were  to  leave  all 
these,  and  come,  follow  Him  ;  for  His  yoke  was  easy  and  His 
burden  light :  and  they  would  find  rest  for  their  souls.  They 
were  to  learn  the  way  of  life  from  Him  by  believing  in  Him. 

The  hatred  of  the  rabbis  grew  more  intense.  They  saw  from 
the  way  the  people  followed  Jesus  that  He  was  a  danger  to  their 
church  and  power,  and  so  they  put  into  force  against  Him  their 


COME,    FOLLOW   ME.  119 

temple  organization,  which  spread  out  from  Jerusalem,  with  mem- 
bers in  every  village  and  a  council  in  every  synagogue ;  and 
they  stirred  up  the  people  against  Him.  At  one  time  He  was 
nearly  thrown  over  a  precipice  at  His  old  village  of  Nazareth; 
several  times  in  the  temple  the  rabbis'  followers  took  up  stones 
to  stone  Him.  He  had  to  fly  from  Jerusalem,  for  Caiaphas, 
the  chief  priest,  said  that  He  must  be  taken  and  put  to  death. 
The  Sanhedrim  said  He  had  defied  the  law  that  only  rabbis 
must  teach,  and  that  only  the  Law  and  the  Traditions  should 
be  taught.  He  was  not  a  rabbi,  and  told  the  people  that  what 
He  said  was  from  God,  and  what  the  rabbis  taught  was  untrue. 
He  called  them  false  teachers,  blind  guides,  serpents,  vipers,  in  the 
temple  itself,  which  the  priests  looked  upon  as  their  own,  and 
where  the  rabbis  loved  to  sit  talking. 

But  His  work  was  soon  done.  He  had  denounced  the  false 
teachers  and  their  rules ;  He  had  set  aside  the  priests  and 
their  bloody  sacrifices ;  He  had  proclaimed  the  true  way  and  the 
kingdom  of  God  His  Father.  He  had  led  the  people  out  of  the 
bondage  of  priests,  scribes,  Pharisees,  and  Sadducees  into  the 
freedom  of  personal  worship  and  direct  communion  with  God. 
He  showed  them  that  God  was  a  God  not  of  war  but  of 
peace,  whose  Son  He  was,  and  whose  children  they  were  if  they 
served  Him.  His  words  shook  the  Sanhedrim  and  the  temple, 
for  He  told  the  people  that  He  was  greater  than  Moses,  whose 
memory  and  whose  laws  they  reverenced ;  and  He  called  upon 
them  to  hear  His  words  and  love  and  follow  Him,  and  that 
whoever  did  so  would  have  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

It  was  again  the  Passover  festival.  The  temple  courts  were 
crowded  when  He  stood,  in  his  white  tunic,  for  the  last  time,  call- 
ing upon  the  people  to  leave  their  teachers  and  follow  Him,  knowing 
well  that  the  end  would  be  death.  He  told  them  that  if  He  was 
killed  He  would  draw  all  men  to  Him.  And,  as  you  know,  they 
did  kill  Him,  by  nailing  Him  upon  the  bitter  cross,  for  speaking 
against  their  temple,  and  for  teaching  things  contrary  to  their 
religious  laws  and  traditions,  and  for  saying  that  He  was  the 
Son  of  God,  which  they  called  blasphemy. 

But  He  had  proclaimed  His  heavenly  message — He  had  sown 
the  seed  of  God  in  countless  golden  sayings,  in  temple  and  syna- 
gogue, along  the  hillsides,  through  the  vales,  around  the  shores  of 
the  lake,  and  in  every  town  and  village  of  Palestine,  and  it  had 
sunk  into  the  hearts  of  the  people  so  deep  that  no  priest's  hand 
could  ever  pluck  it  out ;  and  His  death  only  made  more  beautiful 
His  life,  more  heavenly  His  message. 

He  had  told  the  people  of  another  and  an  easier  way  to  be  good 


120  PAUL   HEARS    ABOUT   JESUS. 

than  by  trying  to  keep  the  thousands  of  rules  which  their  teachers 
had  laid  upon  them,  and  that  way  was  to  believe  in  Him  and  try 
to  be  like  Him,  and  so  they  would  draw  near  to  God.  For  only 
by  being  like  Him  could  they  come  into  God's  kingdom.  And  thus 
Jesus  the  Messiah  was  the  Saviour  of  the  people,  not  from  the 
Ptomans,  but  from  themselves.  "  I  am  the  way,"  He  said ;  and 
His  followers  were  known  as  the  believers  in  "  the  Way,"  when 
Paul  first  came  among  them. 


Paul   Hears  about  Jesus. 

TARSUS:   AGED  30-40. 

WHEREVER  Paul  was  during  the  occurrence  of  these  great 
events  in  Palestine,  he  would  be  among  Jews,  and  would 
hear  rumours  and  reports  from  time  to  time,  from  those  who  had 
been  at  the  festivals  in  the  golden  temple,  of  what  was  taking 
place  in  Jerusalem.  He  would  hear  of  John  the  Baptist,  perhaps, 
from  one  who  had  seen  him  in  his  dress  of  camel's  hair  at  the 
fords  of  the  Jordan,  and  he  would  be  indignant  when  his  head  was 
cut  off  by  King  Antipas,  for  John  was  a  priest's  son. 

He  would  hear,  too,  of  Jesus,  the  young  prophet  of  Galilee, 
the  village  carpenter,  who  had  taught  the  people  without  authority, 
and  had  said  He  was  the  Messiah.  He  would  have  His  appear- 
ance described  by  those  who  had  seen  Him  at  the  temple  festivals, 
and  would  be  told  that  they  had  never  heard  such  wonderful 
speaking.  He  would  hear  that  He  had  spoken  against  the 
rabbis,  and  had  broken  their  rules,  and  told  the  people  not  to 
obey  them ;  and  Paul  would  feel  the  deepest  indignation,  and 
would  hope  that  the  rabbis  would  put  Jesus  down  with  a  strong 
hand  and  scatter  His  followers.  And  when  he  heard  that  He 
had  been  seized  by  the  Sanhedrim,  and  tried,  and  put  to  death, 
he  would  believe  that  Jesus  was  a  blasphemer,  who  deserved  to 
be  stoned,  according  to  the  law,  and  that  He  had  been  rightly 
crucified  by  Pilate. 

And  Paul  would  continue  his  study  of  the  Law  and  the 
Traditions  with  greater  satisfaction,  in  the  belief  that  one  more 
false  Messiah  had  been  put  down  who  had  attempted  to  teach 
something  different  from  the  old  established  religion ;  for  he 
was  proud  to  belong  to  the  sect  of  the  Pharisees,  which  Jesus 
had  called  serpents,  vipers,  hypocrites.  Paul  was  no  hypocrite. 
He  believed  what   he  had  been  taught  by  the   rabbis,  and   his 


PAUL   HEARS    ABOUT   JESUS.  121 

constant  aim  was  to  obey  better  and  better  their  countless  rules, 
believing  that  by  that  way  alone  could  he  ever  reach  to  the  purity 
of  life  for  which  he  longed. 

And  thus,  in  pursuit  of  that  ideal  life  which  has  eluded  so 
many,  he  went  deeper  and  ever  deeper  into  slavery  and  bondage, 
with  a  heart  tender  towards  little  rules  and  forms,  but  hard  and 
merciless  towards  all  who  said  that  there  was  another  way  of 
serving  God.  However  good,  however  pure  Jesus  the  Galilean 
may  have  been.  He  had  set  Himself  against  the  old  order  of 
religion,  and  with  cold,  cruel  determination  Paul  thought  that  He 
deserved  to  die. 

And  he  continued  at  his  trade  of  tentmaker,  shaping  and 
stitching,  spinning  and  weaving,  buying  and  selling,  not  thinking 
that  the  future  had  anything  very  great  in  store  for  him,  and 
believing  that  the  followers  of  Jesus,  who  had  loved  Him  while 
He  was  alive,  would  return  to  their  homes  and  their  fishing-boats, 
and  forget  all  that  the  Nazarene  had  said.  And  he  would  be 
surprised  when  he  heard  that  the  Nazarenes,  the  men  of  "the 
Way,"  had  not  dispersed,  but  that  the  chief  followers  of  Jesus 
had  remained  in  Jerusalem,  and  were  openly  telling  the  people 
that  He  was  Christ,  the  Messiah,  and  repeating  His  sayings,  and 
declaring  that  He  had  risen  from  the  grave,  and  was  now  in 
heaven  with  God. 

As  time  passed,  he  would  hear  that  some  Pharisees  of 
Jerusalem  had  joined  them,  and  that  the  Nazarenes  had  a  meeting- 
place  of  their  own,  just  as  the  other  sects  had  their  synagogues, 
and  that  they  had  been  allowed  to  teach  openly  in  the  city  and 
temple,  until  some  thousands  of  people  had  joined  them.  They 
had  established  a  sect  called  Nazarenes  of  "the  Way,"  who 
believed  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah,  and  that  His  teaching  was 
the  truth,  for  He  showed  the  people  the  new  way.  And  when 
he  heard  that  a  number  of  young  priests  from  the  temple  had 
joined  them,  he  would  feel  deep  indignation  that  this  new  and 
false  teaching  should  be  allowed  to  spread  until  even  priests  and 
city  rulers  were  giving  way  to  it. 

He  would  hear,  too,  that  these  fishermen-disciples  of  Jesus 
had  been  brought  before  the  Sanhedrim  for  speaking  openly  in 
the  temple,  and  that  on  one  occasion  his  old  master,  Gamaliel, 
had  advised  that  they  should  be  let  alone,  saying  that  if  their 
teaching  was  false  it  would  come  to  nothing,  but  if  it  was  from 
God  they  could  not  overthrow  it,  and  might  be  found  to  be 
fighting  against  God.  Paul  did  not  agree  with  his  old  master. 
He  had  no  doubt  about  the  falseness  of  the  teaching,  and  that 
they  should  be  silenced      Uneducated  fishermen  had  no  right  to 


122  DISPUTING   WITH    THE    NAZARENES. 

be  teachers  of  religion  to  the  people.     But  Gamaliel  saw  deeper 
than  his  young  disciple,  as  Paul  would  yet  discover. 


Disputing  with  the   Nazarenes. 

JERUSALEM:    AGED  30-40. 

IT  is  not  known  when  Paul  returned  to  Jerusalem,  but  we  find 
from  his  own  writings  that,  true  to  his  training,  he  ranged 
himself  there  against  the  Nazarenes  and  the  followers  of  "  the 
Way,"  as  they  were  called,  and  gave  all  the  help  he  could  to  the 
party  amongst  the  rabbis  who  did  not  agree  with  GamaUel  that 
the  new  teaching  should  be  let  alone,  to  live  or  die  of  itself.  On 
the  contrary,  he  thought,  with  the  majority  of  them,  that  it  should 
be  put  down  and  stamped  out. 

Learned  in  all  the  learning  of  the  scribes,  quick,  eloquent,  and 
merciless,  he  would  do  his  utmost  to  help  in  putting  down,  by 
argument,  punishment,  and  persecution,  the  followers  of  One 
whose  power  was  not  of  force  and  violence,  but  of  reason  and 
conviction  through  the  truth  of  God.  Paul  did  not  yet  believe  in 
reason  and  conviction,  but  in  authority  backed  by  force.  The 
whip,  the  rod,  the  sword,  the  stone,  he  believed,  could  drive  out 
faith  and  love.  He  had  yet  to  learn  that  there  is  a  state  in 
human  affairs  when  the  sword  and  the  stone  are  as  powerless  to 
change  the  mind  of  man  as  they  are  to  alter  the  aspect  of  the 
heavens. 

He  had  no  doubt  that  the  people  could  be  turned  away  from 
Jesus  by  force,  and  that  the  spread  of  convictions  could  be  stopped 
by  chains  and  imprisonment.  Gamaliel  did  not  think  so.  And 
in  a  spirit  of  cruelty  quite  unknown  to  his  old  master,  he  broke 
away  from  him,  and  offered  his  services  to  the  high  priest  and 
those  who  said  that  the  Nazarenes  must  be  exterminated.  He  had 
hitherto  been  a  humble  tentmaker  and  a  retired  student,  but 
soon  he  would  be  a  public  man  in  the  great  city.  A  self-righteous 
Pharisee,  cruel  as  a  priest,  narrow  as  a  scribe,  he  would  enter 
upon  that  path  of  oppression  and  outrage  which  would  end  in 
his  being  unhorsed  and  thrown  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  whose  name 
and  memory  he  was  striving  to  stamp  out  of  the  world. 

The  eleven  disciples  chose  Matthias  to  fill  the  place  of  Judas, 
and  went  daily  to  the  temple  to  speak  openly  to  the  people  about 
Jesus.  Paul  saw  and  heard  them  there,  and  most  likely  disputed 
with  them  with  the  scornful  ability  of  a  learned  and  eloquent 


DISPUTING   WITH   THE   NAZARENES.  123 

young  rabbi.     But  still  the  accursed  people,  who  knew  not  the 
law,  listened  to  thera,  and  joined  the  new  sect  of  Nazarenes. 

Jesus  had  left  very  few  rules  for  their  guidance  in  forming  a 
sect.     This  was  the  main  thing  : — 

"  Hereby  shall  it  be  known  that  ye  are  My  disciples,  if  you 
have  fervent  love  one  toward  another." 

The  Nazarenes  tried  at  first  to  live  together  like  a  large  family. 
They  worshipped  together  daily,  and  had  meals  together,  at  which 
they  solemnly  broke  bread,  in  loving  memory,  as  Jesus  used  to  do. 
When  they  spoke,  it  was  of  Jesus  the  Messiah,  called  in  Greek 
the  Christ,  and  of  His  having  risen  from  the  dead.  All  who  joined 
them  were  baptized  with  water,  as  a  sign  of  membership.  The 
Jews  had  long  been  accustomed  to  the  use  of  water  as  a  sign 
of  purifying.  The  priests  used  it,  sometimes  bathing,  sometimes 
sprinkling,  not  once,  but  often,  in  their  services  and  ceremonies. 
There  were  two  kinds  of  Jews  amongst  the  Nazarenes — Jews  born 
in  Palestine,  who  were  called  "  Hebrews,"  and  had  been  taught  to 
be  strict  about  the  Law  and  the  Traditions,  just  as  Paul  had 
been ;  the  others  were  Jews  born  in  other  countries,  who  were 
called  "  Greeks,"  and  spoke  Greek,  and  were  not  nearly  so  strict 
as  the  Hebrews.  They  did  not  always  get  on  quietly  together, 
for  they  were  broad  and  narrow,  and  ditiered  in  their  beliefs,  as 
many  Christians  do  still. 

The  Nazarenes  continued  to  increase,  and  some  trouble  arose 
about  their  poor ;  and  they  appointed  seven  good  and  upright  men 
to  see  that  they  were  rightly  attended  to,  and  amongst  them  was 
Stephen,  a  Greek  Jew,  who  was  so  clever  and  learned  that  he  soon 
became  a  leader.  They  spoke  now,  not  only  in  the  temple,  but  in 
the  synagogues  of  Jerusalem,  saying  that  Jesus  was  indeed  the 
Christ,  and  that  He  had  risen  again ;  and  they  argued  with  all 
who  would  argue  with  them,  and  proved  from  passages  in  the 
Bible  that  Jesus  was  the  very  Christ.  And  some  Jews  believed 
them,  but  many  thought  they  were  talking  foolishness. 

Paul  would  take  part  in  these  synagogue  discussions,  trying 
to  prove  to  them,  also  from  the  Bible,  that  Jesus  was  not  the 
Christ.  The  apostles  did  not  at  first  speak  against  the  temple, 
the  rabbis,  and  their  rules,  as  Jesus  did.  They  believed  in  the 
religious  law  as  taught  by  the  rabbis,  and  kept  the  feasts  and 
fasts.  The  one  great  thing  they  wished  was  to  get  the  people 
to  see  that  Jesus  was  the  promised  Christ,  and  that  He  had  risen 
from  the  dead. 


124  STEPHEN  THE  SPEAKER. 

Stephen  the  Speaker. 

JERUSALEM:    AGED  30-40. 

BUT  Stephen  was  not  born  in  a  country  overshadowed  by 
the  great  temple  of  Jerusalem,  where  the  word  of  priest  or 
rabbi  was  a  command  not  to  be  disobeyed.  He  came  from  an- 
other land,  and  had  seen  and  heard  Jesus  ;  and  the  light  of  His 
face  and  the  sound  of  His  voice  had  set  his  heart  on  fire.  He  was 
inspired  with  the  truth  from  His  lips ;  and  if  he  spoke,  it  would 
be  nothing  more  and  nothing  less  than  he  had  heard  from  his 
Master.  He,  too,  went  to  the  synagogues  and  argued  with  the 
chief  Jews,  telling  them  what  Jesus  said  about  the  temple  and 
Moses,  about  the  false  rabbis  and  their  false  teaching,  their  clean 
and  unclean  meats,  their  fastings  and  washings,  and  he  roused 
their  most  bitter  hatred.  He  was  well  known  in  the  synagogue 
of  the  Libertines,  freed  Jews  from  Rome,  and  in  other  synagogues 
of  the  Jews  from  Africa,  Egypt,  Asia,  including  the  province  of 
Cilicia,  of  which  Tarsus  was  the  capital ;  and  Paul  would  without 
doubt  encounter  him  in  the  Cilician  synagogue. 

But  the  Nazarenes  did  more  than  preach  and  dispute  in  temple 
and  synagogue.  They  went  through  the  streets  of  the  city,  talk- 
ing with  the  people  at  their  doors,  and  persuading  men  and  women 
to  join  them,  so  that  it  became  apparent  to  the  priests  that  they 
were  determined  to  form  a  strong  sect.  Some  of  the  Pharisees 
favoured  them  a  little,  because  they  taught  their  favourite  doc- 
trine of  the  resurrection ;  but  the  Sadducees  hated  them  for  that 
very  reason.  The  strife  grew  in  bitterness.  In  the  synagogues 
they  were  called  blasphemers,  who  spoke  against  Moses  and  God — 
men  who  wished  to  overthrow  the  temple  and  the  religious  law, 
and  change  all  the  old  customs  that  had  come  down  from  the 
ancient  rabbis.  And  there  was  just  enough  truth  in  this  charge 
to  make  them  seem  very  bad  to  ignorant  people. 

Pilate,  who  had  condemned  Jesus,  was  no  longer  the  Roman 
governor.  He  had  got  into  trouble  with  the  Samaritans,  and 
Vitellius,  the  ruler  of  Syria,  was  now  governor  of  Jerusalem. 
Caiaphas,  the  cruel  high  priest,  had  been  dismissed,  and  Jonathan 
put  in  his  place. 

In  these  synagogue  discussions  Paul  grew  angry,  because  he 
found  that  with  all  his  learning  he  was  not  able  to  silence  the 
Nazarenes  in  debate,  and  he  hated  the  very  sight  of  them.  He 
thought  it  intolerable  that  they  should  be  allowed  to  go  from 
street  to  street  and  house  to  house  spreading  their  religion,  or 


STEPHEN  THE  SPEAKER.  125 

be  permitted  to  speak  in  the  temple  and  synagogues.  He  was  a 
Zealot  for  the  religious  law,  and  he  believed  they  were  trying  to 
set  it  aside ;  and  when  he  spoke,  it  was  to  tell  the  people  that 
these  Nazarenes  should  be  put  down  and  punished  for  teaching 
things  contrary  to  the  law,  and  that  when  they  said  Jesus  was  the 
Christ  they  were  saying  what  was  false  and  blasphemous,  for  he 
had  studied  the  Bible. 

When  he  went  to  his  own  synagogue  he  found  them  there, 
speaking  and  trying  to  persuade  the  Cilician  Jews  to  join  them, 
and  he  opposed  them  with  all  his  might.  Of  the  Nazarenes 
he  found  Stephen  the  most  learned  and  powerful — so  powerful 
that,  with  all  his  knowledge  and  ability,  he  was  unable  to  show 
that  what  Stephen  said  was  false.  He  then  realized  that  this 
new  sect  could  quote  the  Bible  and  point  to  Jewish  history  as  well 
as  he ;  and  then  he  reviled  them,  calling  them  blasphemers.  And 
in  these  discussions  he  had  to  listen  to  much  of  the  life  and  say- 
ings of  Jesus  which  he  did  not  forget. 

He  was  now  a  young  rabbi — for  his  learning,  purity  of  life, 
eloquence,  and  zeal  for  the  law  entitled  him  to  that  name — and  in 
time  he  became  a  member  of  the  Sanhedrim.  There  he  found 
himself  in  opposition  to  his  old  master  Gamaliel,  for  he  did  not 
hesitate  to  urge  that  the  only  way  to  put  down  the  Nazarenes 
was  to  use  their  full  powers  against  them,  and  punish  them  with- 
out mercy  as  law-breakers.  And  whenever  Nazarenes  were  brought 
up  on  a  charge  of  breaking  the  law  and  being  followers  of  Jesus, 
he  spoke  against  them ;  and  when  it  came  to  the  vote,  he  voted 
against  them.  He  was  sure  he  was  doing  God  service  in  this; 
and  he  had  no  mercy  on  them,  for  he  believed  they  deserved  none 
until  they  confessed  their  faults,  gave  gifts  to  the  temple,  and 
were  restored  to  favour  by  the  priests. 

Whoever  spoke  against  the  Law  of  Moses  and  the  traditions  of 
the  rabbis,  or  said  that  Jesus,  the  carpenter  of  Nazareth,  was  the 
Christ  and  Son  of  God,  deserved  death  as  a  blasphemer ;  and  Paul 
was  not  afraid  to  say  it,  for  he  was  no  hypocrite.  Jesus,  he 
thought,  was  a  deceiver,  and  one  of  the  worst  agitators  that  had 
ever  led  the  people  astray ;  and  if  His  followers  did  not  see 
that  for  themselves,  the  only  way  was  to  punish  them  until  they 
cursed  Jesus,  and  to  banish  or  put  to  death  all  who  called  upon 
His  name  and  would  not  give  Him  up.  It  is  sad  to  relate  this 
of  Paul,  but  it  shows  us  the  danger  of  blind  bigotry — a  danger 
which  has  been  seen  with  terrible  results  in  the  lives  of  many 
other  religious  leaders.  But  when  the  change  came  in  Paul  it 
would  be  the  greater,  because  of  his  present  blindness  and  fury. 


126  STEPHEN    A   PRISONER. 

Stephen  a  Prisoner, 

JERUSALEM:    AGED  30-40. 

PRIESTS  with  their  naked  feet,  Sadducees  with  embroidered 
robes  of  purple  and  gold,  rulers  of  the  city  in  tunics  of 
striped  colours,  Pharisees  in  shining  white  linen,  scribes  and  law- 
yers, some  old  and  white,  some  young  with  black  hair  curling 
on  their  shoulders,  are  coming  in  one  by  one  into  the  council 
chamber  of  the  Sanhedrim,  and  taking  their  seats,  with  legs 
crossed,  upon  the  crimson  cushions  arranged  in  a  half-circle. 
Perhaps  it  is  the  hall  of  hewn  stones,  with  its  row  of  windows 
looking  down  upon  the  bright  pavement  of  the  women's  court  of 
the  temple,  flooded  with  strong  sunshine.  They  are  gathering 
to  try  another  Nazarene ;  and  Paul  is  among  them,  in  the  pure 
white  dress  of  a  strict  Pharisee,  with  grave  face  and  piercing 
grey  eyes,  his  black  hair  almost  hidden  by  the  kerchief  that 
covers  his  head. 

Many  of  them  were  there  when  Jesus,  the  Holy  One,  was 
condemned,  and  since  then  they  had  had  His  disciples  Peter  and 
John,  and  many  others,  before  them ;  and  although  they  com- 
manded them  to  keep  silence,  their  orders  had  not  been  obeyed, 
and  the  sect  of  the  Nazarenes  had  gone  on  increasing.  These  bold 
speakers,  Peter  and  John,  were  joined  by  others  equally  bold, 
who  openly  accused  the  Sanhedrists  of  killing  the  Messiah,  the 
Saviour  of  the  people ;  and  Stephen,  one  of  the  boldest  of  them 
all,  had  been  taken  a  prisoner,  and  they  were  going  to  try  him 
for  blasphemy.  They  considered  him  a  dangerous  opponent ;  for 
not  only  was  he  a  very  good  man,  but  he  was  learned  and  elo- 
quent, and  had  no  fear.  They  had  threatened,  they  had  argued, 
but  they  could  not  silence  him  with  words.  They  would  silence 
him  with  blows. 

The  Sanhedrim  had  seventy  members,  and  Jonathan,  the 
high  priest,  was  in  the  middle  of  them  as  chairman.  There  sat 
the  white-faced  Caiaphas,  and  his  father-in-law,  the  wolf-eyed 
Annas,  who  condemned  Jesus.  There  sat  Alexander,  Theophilus, 
and  Matthew,  sons  of  Caiaphas ;  and  there  sat  the  benevolent 
Gamaliel,  and  Paul,  his  impatient  scholar.  Paul,  who  had  often 
said  that  such  a  man  as  Stephen  did  not  deserve  to  live,  was  to  sit 
as  one  of  his  judges.  It  was  in  this  state  of  mind  that  he  took 
his  seat  in  a  court  to  try  a  man  whom  he  regarded  as  an  enemy 
to  his  religion,  his  nation,  and  his  God. 

Stephen  was  to  be  tried  by  a  religious  court,  made  up  of  what 


STEPHEN    A    PRISONER.  127 

we  should  call  professors,  clergymen,  and  elders  of  the  National 
Church,  and  for  what  we  should  call  heresy,  but  which  they  called 
blasphemy ;  with  this  great  difference,  that  they  bad  power  not 
only  to  put  Stephen  out  of  the  church — he  was  out  already — 
but  to  whip,  imprison,  or  sentence  him  to  death  by  stoning. 
There  was  once  a  court  like  that  in  our  own  land,  only  of  fewer 
men,  and  all  priests  ;  but  instead  of  stoning  men  to  death,  they 
burned  them.     We  trust  those  days  will  never  return. 

He  had  been  kept  in  prison  until  the  day  of  trial.  He  was 
waiting  now,  and  the  witnesses  were  ready  to  swear  to  what 
they  had  heard  him  say,  and  more.  The  place  was  crowded 
with  people  who  had  come  to  see  him  tried — enemies,  who  hated 
him  and  wished  him  dead ;  friends,  who  loved  him,  and  hoped  he 
would  get  off  with  a  light  punishment.  All  looked  at  him  as  he 
came  in  and  answered  the  high  priest  fearlessly  that  he  was  no 
blasphemer.  Then  the  witnesses  were  called,  who  said  they  had 
heard  him  speaking  against  the  temple  and  the  traditions  of  the 
rabbis,  saying  that  Jesus  would  destroy  the  temple  and  change 
the  customs  made  by  Moses.  There  was  enough  truth  in  this 
and  enough  lies  to  bring  heavy  punishment  on  him.  The  charge 
was  partly  the  same  as  was  made  against  Jesus,  his  Master,  of 
speaking  against  the  temple  and  the  laws  of  Moses. 

"  Are  these  things  so  1 "  demanded  the  high  priest ;  which 
was  like  saying,  "  Guilty,  or  not  guilty  ? "  Stephen  was  ready. 
The  time  had  come  for  making  the  speech  for  which  he  was  pre- 
pared. Whether  it  would  be  death  or  life  was  in  God's  hand. 
He  would  speak  the  truth  that  was  in  him.  Standing  forw^ard, 
he  paused  before  speaking,  and  looked  round  at  the  hushed  crowd ; 
and  as  he  did  so,  his  friends  said  his  face  w^as  beautiful  as  an 
angel's.  God  was  with  him.  Looking  fearlessly  at  the  men,  old 
and  young,  his  judges,  "  Men,  brethren,  and  fathers,  hearken  to 
me,"  he  said  slowly,  speaking  in  Greek.  He  believed  he  would 
find  some  friends  among  them,  as  John  and  Peter  had  done. 
Beginning  with  Abraham,  he  spoke  of  Jewish  history,  to  show 
that  men  might  worship  elsewhere  than  in  the  temple,  and  re- 
peated these  words  from  the  Bible  : — 

"  God  dwelleth  not  in  temples  made  with  hands.  Heaven  is 
His  throne,  earth  His  footstool.  What  house  will  you  build  Him  T 
or  what  is  the  place  of  His  rest  ?    Hath  He  not  made  all  things  1 " 

He  sought  to  convince  them  he  was  right  in  what  he  had  said 
aboKit  the  temple  and  Moses,  but  he  could  not  tell,  from  the 
gloomy,  thoughtful,  angry  faces  before  him,  whether  he  had  suc- 
ceeded. No  doubt  there  were  some  who  thought  there  was  much 
worth  thinking  over  in  the  words  of  this  young  man  who  knew 


128  STONING   STEPHEN. 

Scripture  so  well.  But  there  was  something  else  that  he  must 
refer  to.  What  about  Jesus  the  Nazarene?  Would  He  defend 
what  he  had  said  to  the  people  about  Him  ? 


Stoning:    Stephen, 

JERUSALEM:    AGED  30-40. 

THE  Nazarenes  had  never  been  afraid  to  tell  the  people  of 
Jerusalem  that  they  had  killed  the  Just  One,  and  many 
expressed  sorrow  for  what  had  been  done.  When  Peter  was 
before  the  Sanhedrim  he  accused  them,  and  had  not  been  pun- 
ished. Stephen  was  about  to  do  the  same,  and  in  even  bolder 
language  call  upon  the  men  who  had  condemned  Jesus  to  repent 
and  express  sorrow  for  their  horrid  cruelty.  It  was  becoming  plain 
to  the  priests  that  the  death  of  Jesus  would  not  end  His  teaching. 
As  they  sat  listening  to  Stephen,  some  of  them  wondered  when 
he  would  mention  Jesus'  name.  He  would  do  it  now.  Looking 
fearlessly  upon  his  judges,  he  said, — 

"You  are  obstinate  and  unjust.  You  are  resisting  the  power 
of  God,  as  your  fathers  did  before  you.  Which  of  the  good  men 
of  old  did  your  fathers  not  persecute  ?  They  killed  the  men  who 
told  of  the  coming  of  Jesus  the  Just  One,  whom  you  have  betrayed 
and  killed.  You  received  the  law  of  Moses  as  if  it  had  been  from 
angels  on  Mount  Sinai,  but  you  do  not  obey  it." 

There  was  a  noise  of  angry  voices  in  the  hall,  for  his  judges 
were  pricked  to  the  heart  with  what  he  was  saying.  They  did 
not  feel  rebuked  or  sorry,  but  rather  that  Stephen  was  insulting 
them  all,  and  they  could  scarce  keep  still. 

But  a  strange  thing  happened.  He  stopped  speaking,  and 
stood  with  head  raised,  and  eyes  gazing  upwards,  as  if  seeing  a 
vision  in  the  skies. 

"  I  see  the  heavens  opened,"  they  heard  him  say,  in  the  still- 
ness, "  and  Jesus  standing  on  the  right  hand  of  God." 

He  was  not  allowed  to  say  more.  "  Blasphemy,  blasphemy, 
blasphemy  ! "  rose  in  shrieks  from  his  enemies.  Some  put  their 
fingers  in  their  ears,  to  keep  out  the  unholy  words ;  others  sprang 
to  their  feet,  as  if  to  strike  him.  The  chief  priest  held  up  his 
hand  for  silence,  as  he  ordered  Stephen  to  be  taken  out.  Instead 
of  one  man  doing  so,  several  rushed  at  him,  and  he  was  pushed, 
dragged,  hustled  from  the  council  hall. 

They  soon  settled  what  was  to  be  done.     When  Jesus  stood 


STONING    STEPHEN.  129 

before  them,  He  said,  "  You  shall  see  Me  sitting  on  the  right 
hand  of  God."  And  Caiaphas  had  exclaimed,  "  Blasphemy,  blas- 
phemy !  We  need  no  more  witnesses."  It  was  so  with  Stephen 
now.  In  the  opinion  of  these  stern  judges,  to  say  that  Jesus  was 
standing  at  God's  right  hand  was  also  blasphemy.  The  law  of 
Moses  was  well  known, — 

"  He  that  blasphemeth  the  name  of  God  shall  surely  be  put  to 
death,  and  all  the  people  shall  stone  him.  Thou  shalt  not  hearken 
unto  him;  neither  shall  thine  eye  pity  him,  neither  shalt  thou 
spare  him.  Thou  shalt  surely  kill  him ;  thine  hand  shall  be  first 
upon  him  to  put  him  to  death,  and  afterwards  the  hand  of  all  the 
people.  Thou  shalt  stone  him  with  stones  till  he  die,  because  he 
hath  sought  to  thrust  thee  away  from  the  Lord  thy  God." 

Terrible  and  cruel  as  these  laws  of  Moses  w^ere,  every  one 
of  the  seventy  judges  knew  them  off  by  heart,  and  thought  them 
righteous.  Paul  thought  so  too.  The  chief  priest  was  bound 
to  put  the  question,  "  Guilty,  or  not  guilty  ? "  and  take  the  vote. 
It  was  quickly  done,  Paul  voting  with  the  rest.  The  sentence 
was  :  "  Let  him  be  stoned  until  he  die,  according  to  the  law." 

The  trial  was  over.  Judges,  old  and  young,  rose  from  their 
places  to  go  out ;  for  no  one  asked  himself  the  only  question  that 
was  of  any  importance — whether  Stephen's  words  were  blasphemy 
or  simple  truth.  They  had  the  rules  of  the  rabbis  for  that,  and 
with  these  they  were  content 

Paul  was  so  well  pleased  with  the  trial  that  he  was  ready  to 
assist  in  carrying  out  the  terrible  sentence.  No  doubt  there  were 
others  equally  willing,  but  his  hatred  of  the  Nazarenes  was  so 
great  that  he  took  a  leading  part. 

With  hands  bound,  and  in  charge  of  temple  guards,  Stephen 
was  led  along  the  narrow  streets,  out  through  the  city  gate,  out 
to  a  field  where  there  were  stones  enough,  while  the  words,  "  Blas- 
phemer !  Nazarene  ! "  rose  from  the  crowds  of  idlers,  who  were 
encouraged  to  come  and  help  at  the  stoning.  It  was  the  law  of 
Moses  that  the  witnesses  who  had  spoken  against  him  must  fling 
the  first  stones  ;  and  they  prepared  to  do  so  by  taking  off  their 
heavy  outer  cloaks,  pulling  up  their  loose  tunics,  and  tightening 
their  girdles,  that  they  might  be  the  more  free  to  hurl  stones. 
And  they  laid  their  cloaks  in  a  heap  at  Paul's  feet,  who  was  to 
watch  them  and  see  that  no  low  person  stole  them  while  they 
were  busy  killing  Stephen.     That  was  to  be  his  work. 

The  people  stood  back,  lest  a  stray  stone  should  hit  them  ;  while 

Stephen  knelt  on  the  ground,  and  covering  his  face  with  his  hands 

to  shut  out  the  monsters  around  him,  he  prayed  to  God.     And 

there,  amid  the  yells  and  jeers  of  the  crowd,  in  the  name  of  God 

a,040)  9 


130  PERSECUTING   THE   NAZARENES. 

and  Moses  they  stoned  him  to  death  calling  upon  God  to  receive 
his  spirit.  Before  he  died  he  cried  in  a  voice  of  agony,  "  Lord, 
lay  not  this  sin  to  their  charge."  Paul  heard,  and  could  scarcely 
believe  it.  Was  it  possible  that  Stephen  was  praying  for  him  1 
And  some  in  the  crowd  remembered  that  when  Jesus  was  nailed 
upon  the  cross  they  heard  Him  cry,  "  Father,  forgive  them ;  for 
they  know  not  what  they  do."  He  was  indeed  a  faithful  follower 
of  that  Holy  One. 

If  Stephen's  prayer  aroused  any  feelings  of  pity  in  Paul's 
breast,  he  crushed  them  down,  believing  that  he  deserved  to 
die.  He  thought  that  the  stoning  of  this  leading  Nazarene 
would  have  a  great  eflfect  upon  the  rest,  and  would  be  a  terrible 
example  of  what  would  be  done  to  them  if  they  did  not  give  up 
their  new  religion.  And  yet  what  he  heard  and  what  he  saw 
that  day  in  field  and  hall  was  so  burned  upon  his  memory  that 
it  remained  seared  and  black  to  the  end  of  his  life. 

Many  have  wondered,  and  the  question  has  often  been  asked, 
"  How  could  Paul  do  it  ?  How  was  it  possible  that  Paul  could 
help  to  stone  Stephen  1 "  The  story  of  his  life  from  childhood  up 
to  now  is  my  answer.  He  had  been  taught  to  believe  without 
thinking.  But  that  could  no  longer  be.  The  awful  events  of 
that  day  roused  his  conscience  with  the  blows  of  stones.  From 
that  hour  he  began  to  think  for  himself.  Had  he  begun  earlier, 
he  might  have  been  kneeling  in  Stephen's  place,  stoned  for  Jesu3* 
sake. 


Persecuting  the  Nazarenes. 

JERUSALEM  :    AGED  30-40. 

STEPHEN  was  dead,  and  his  friends  buried  him  with  tears' 
and  sorrowing.  Paul  and  the  Sanhedrim  soon  found  that 
his  death  had  no  effect  in  stopping  the  Nazarenes,  but  rather 
increased  their  boldness,  for  they  told  the  people  that  he  had 
been  cruelly  murdered.  They  then  determined  that  in  every 
synagogue  where  there  were  Nazarenes  the  council  should 
persecute  them  and  put  them  down.  Paul,  with  the  intoler- 
ance of  a  zealot  for  the  law,  thought  that  stamping  out  these 
Nazarenes  by  persecution  and  death  was  the  plain  duty  of  the 
Sanhedrim.  And  as  the  best  proof  of  his  belief,  he  offered  to 
lead  the  persecutions,  and  his  offer  w^as  willingly  accepted. 

Obedience  to  the  Law  and  the  Traditions  was  the  only  way 
for  a  man  to  lead  a  good  life,  and  this  belief  he  was  determined 
to  force  upon  the  Nazarenes  by  whip,  club,  chains,  imprisonment, 


PERSECUTING   THE    NAZARENES.  131 

dagger,  stone,  and  sword.  Believe  or  die  were  his  watchwords. 
He  was  indignant  that  uneducated  men  should  presume  to  speak, 
and  yet  he  had  heard  deep  things. 

Stephen  and  he  were  agreed  on  one  thing — that  the  higher  life 
was  all  that  was  worth  striving  after.  He  had  heard  Stephen  in 
the  Cilician  synagogue  arguing  for  his  ideal  of  a  higher  life  against 
Paul's  ideal,  and  his  vexation  was  great  that  he  could  not  beat  him 
in  that  argument.  He  had  met  for  the  first  time  a  man  who 
asserted  and  proved  that  the  higher  life,  the  holy  life,  could  be 
reached  by  another  way  than  by  obedience  to  the  Law  and  the 
Traditions.  He  learned  from  Stephen  that  the  way  of  Jesus 
began  from  within  and  worked  outwards,  while  the  way  of  the 
rabbis  began  with  outward  laws.  A  man  might  keep  all  the 
rules  and  customs  of  the  religious  law  and  yet  be  wicked.  Alas, 
he  knew  many  such !  There  was  something  awanting  in  his 
system  which  should  make  hypocrisy  impossible.  Jesus  was 
holy,  Stephen  was  a  good  man,  except  that  they  did  not  obey  the 
Law  as  he  did.  The  Nazarenes,  whatever  else  they  were,  did 
not  lead  bad  lives.  Jesus  had  said  that  the  first  thing  was  to 
make  the  tree  good,  and  the  fruit  would  be  good  also.  The  way 
to  make  a  man  good  was  to  have  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelling 
in  him,  and  the  signs  of  goodness  would  be  seen  in  his  life. 
Here  there  was  no  blank,  nothing  awanting. 

In  his  disputes  with  Stephen  and  the  other  Nazarenes,  he  had 
heard  them  repeat  many  of  the  sayings  of  Jesus.  He  knew  them, 
for  he  had  tried  to  refute  them  again  and  again.  He  could  not 
deny  that  His  was  beautiful  teaching,  and  that  the  holy  life  of 
Jesus  was  a  living  example  of  what  He  taught. 

Paul  was  thinking  now.  He  was  forced  to  think  about  these 
sayings  of  Jesus  and  about  His  death.  They  would  not  leave 
him.  The  dawn  was  breaking  upon  him  :  he  saw  that  there  were 
other  things  than  the  Law  and  the  Traditions  for  which  a  man 
might  be  willing  to  lay  down  his  life,  and  other  ways  of  making 
men  good  than  by  blind  obedience  to  ancient  rules. 

He  had  listened  carefully  to  every  word  of  Stephen's  defence 
before  the  Sanhedrim,  and  it  sank  deep  into  his  heart.  He  could 
not  deny  the  truth  of  it.  He  remembered  the  aged  Gamaliel's 
warning  about  fighting  against  God.  What  did  Stephen  see  in 
his  vision  in  the  Sanhedrim?  He  could  not  get  out  of  his 
mind  Stephen's  face  as  he  knelt  on  the  field  of  stones  praying  for 
his  murderers,  praying  for  him.  For  the  first  time  in  his  life,  he 
had  seen  the  awful  spectacle  of  a  good  man  being  brutally  killed, 
not  for  deeds  of  wickedness,  but  for  abstract  opinions  which  even 
the  strokes  of  death  could  not  change. 


132  PERSECUTING    THE    NAZARENES. 

Paul  was  thinking;  but  the  end  of  his  thoughts,  sometimes 
impatient,  sometimes  sad,  was  ever  the  same.  He  was  right  and 
Stephen  was  wrong !  But  still  the  thoughts  came  whispering 
back  again  and  again.  In  wrath  he  exclaimed  that  there  was 
no  way  out  of  it  but  putting  down  the  Nazarenes  with  a  strong 
hand ;  words  were  wasted  upon  such  men.  A  man  is  never 
more  bitter  and  violent  against  another  than  when  he  differs  from 
him  about  how  to  save  his  soul.  Thousands  have  been  put  to 
death  for  their  soul's  good ;  and  violence  grows  in  bitterness  and 
intensity  as  a  man  finds  himself  weak  in  argument  but  mighty 
in  power.  We  are  told  that  the  darkest  hour  is  just  before  the 
dawn.  Paul's  hatred  of  the  Kazarenes  grew  fiercer,  because  their 
teaching  had  taken  hold  on  him.  He  could  not  shake  it  off. 
Violence,  persecution,  noise,  work,  activity,  were  the  things  to 
silence  these  inward  voices  that  were  calling  him  to  account. 

The  high  priest  and  his  chief  friends  were  Sadducees,  who 
hated  Jesus  and  the  Nazarenes  with  a  special  hatred  for  pro- 
claiming the  Pharisee  belief  in  a  life  beyond  the  grave ;  yet  Paul 
found  them  quite  ready  to  give  him  power  to  persecute.  With 
the  written  authority  of  the  Sanhedrim  in  his  hand,  and  their 
servants  to  obey  his  orders,  he  began  his  cruel  work.  Entering 
the  meeting-place  of  the  Nazarenes  in  Jerusalem  and  the  syna- 
gogues where  they  spoke,  he  ordered  them  to  give  up  their  faith 
in  Jesus  and  His  teaching,  or  if  they  did  not  they  would  be 
whipped  and  beaten  with  rods.  He  forbade  them  to  meet  to- 
gether and  worship  in  His  name.  But  this  did  not  put  an  end 
to  their  gatherings,  and  he  caused  men  to  go  to  their  homes  and 
seize  men  and  women  and  take  them  away  bound,  to  be  brought 
before  the  council,  where  they  were  ordered  to  be  put  in  prison 
until  they  would  give  up  their  new  faith  and  speak  against  Jesus. 

From  week  to  week,  from  month  to  month,  Paul  carried  on 
his  fierce  persecutions,  dealing  out  imprisonment,  the  scourge, 
whipping,  death  to  the  Nazarenes — threatening  everywhere  that 
he  would  not  rest  until  he  had  hunted  them  all  out  of  Jerusalem. 
When  he  was  present  at  their  trials,  he  spoke  against  the  poor, 
trembling  ])risoner,  and  voted  for  his  punishment. 

The  effect  upon  the  JSTazarenes  was  terrible.  They  called 
his  work  devastation,  and  many  fled  in  terror  from  the  city,  glad 
to  get  away  from  this  fierce  young  Pharisee.  Others  remained, 
and  giving  up  their  faith  in  Jesus,  returned  to  the  old  religion 
rather  than  face  the  council. 

But  the  apostles  did  not  fly.  We  cannot  tell  why  they  were 
not  killed.  Perhaps  being  Palestine  Jews,  who  obeyed  the  Law 
and  the  Traditions,  they  were  not  so  likely  to  be  punished  for 


FLIGHT    OF   THE    NAZARENES.  133 

saying  Jesus  was  the  Christ  as  foreign  Jews  like  Stephen,  who 
had  not  the  same  regard  for  the  rules  of  the  Jerusalem  rabbis. 
Paul  did  not  persecute  the  leaders  so  much  as  he  did  the  common 
people.  So  the  disciples  remained  worshipping  daily  in  the  temple, 
while  the  humbler  Nazarenes  were  scattered  throughout  Judea 
and  Samaria  by  this  terrible  young  rabbi.  He  thought  that  in 
hunting  them  out  of  Jerusalem  he  was  doing  good.  And  so  he 
was,  but  in  a  different  way  from  what  he  intended,  for  they 
carried  their  precious  faith  with  them. 


Flight  of  the   Nazarenes. 

JERUSALEM:    AGED   30-40. 

THE  Nazarenes  who  fled  in  terror  out  of  Jerusalem  into  the 
open  country  spread  the  new  religion  wherever  they  went ; 
so  that  instead  of  putting  out  the  fire,  the  persecution  of  the 
Sanhedrim  served  only  to  scatter  it  further.  Many  fled  to 
Samaria,  where  Paul  had  no  power  to  pursue  them  ;  and  among 
them  was  Philip,  who,  like  Stephen,  was  one  of  the  seven  deacons, 
and  a  foreign  Jew.  When  he  told  the  people  of  Samaria  that 
he  had  been  driven  out  of  Jerusalem  for  believing  in  Jesus,  they 
received  him  kindly,  for  they  remembered  the  young  Prophet  of 
Galilee  who  had  lived  among  them  ;  and  when  Philip  spoke  to 
them  about  Jesus  and  the  kingdom  of  God,  a  good  many  became 
Nazarenes,  and  were  baptized. 

When  the  apostles  heard  of  this,  they  sent  Peter  and  John ; 
and  Philip  baptized  a  black  oflicer  of  the  Queen  of  Ethiopia,  who 
became  a  Nazarene.  In  baptizing  him  he  did  what  the  apostles 
would  not  have  done ;  for  they  thought  that  no  man  could  be  a 
Nazarene  unless  he  became  a  Jew  first  and  received  the  mark  of 
a  Jew.  And  this  was  the  first-fruit  of  the  broad  teaching  of 
Jesus,  who  said  that  Jews  and  foreigners  could  alike  become  fol- 
lowers of  Him. 

And  still  the  scattered  Nazarenes  of  Jerusalem  carried  the 
glad  tidings  of  the  new  gospel  through  the  land,  and  people 
who  had  heard  and  seen  Jesus  joined  together  in  little  com- 
panies when  they  learned  how  those  of  Jerusalem  had  joined  to- 
gether, calling  themselves  the  followers  of  "the  Way."  They  had 
lost  heart  when  Jesus  was  killed,  but  now  the  story  of  His  resur- 
rection, and  that  He  was  the  Christ,  raised  hope  and  faith  anew 
in  their  hearts. 


134  FLIGHT    OF    THE    NAZARENES. 

Paul  was  met  with  a  fresh  difficulty.  He  had  driven  the 
Nazarenes  out  of  Jerusalem,  but  as  months  went  by  he  received 
reports  that  they  were  spreading  their  teaching  among  the  syna- 
gogues wherever  they  could  get  people  to  listen.  There  was  no 
turning  back  now.  He  must  pursue  these  people  and  hunt  them 
down  everywhere.  The  Sanhedrim  had  power  to  issue  orders  to 
all  the  synagogue  councils,  and  through  them  he  threatened  pun- 
ishments and  death  to  the  Nazarenes  wherever  they  might  be,  in 
or  out  of  Jerusalem.  Then  the  Nazarenes  began  to  leave  Pales- 
tine also,  and  go  into  foreign  countries,  carrpng  the  new  gospel 
of  Jesus  still  further  afield,  like  seed  scattered  by  a  strong  wind. 

He  heard  that  there  were  Nazarenes  in  the  synagogues  of 
Damascus,  and  he  resolved  to  go  thither  himself  and  bring 
prisoners  back  to  Jerusalem  to  be  punished.  So  he  went  to 
Theophilus,  the  high  priest,  and  asked  him  for  a  written  letter 
to  the  synagogue  council  there,  giving  him  full  power  to  do  as 
he  wished,  and  the  letter  was  given.  Damascus  was  a  very  old 
city  of  Syria,  and  under  the  same  Roman  governor  as  Jerusalem; 
and  the  synagogue  was,  of  course,  under  the  Jerusalem  San- 
hedrim. He  got  a  guard  to  protect  him,  and  was  soon  ready 
to  start. 

How  changed  was  Paul  now  from  the  tentmaker's  boy  whom 
his  mother  embraced  with  tears  when  she  left  him  in  Jerusalem  ! 
It  is  difficult  to  think  how  the  fair-haired  dancing  child  of  Tarsus 
could  become  a  slaying  persecutor.  To  understand  this  we  have 
closely  traced  his  life.  We  have  seen  the  child  become  the  school- 
boy, the  student,  the  young  teacher,  the  strict  Pharisee,  and  the 
violent  speaker.  At  one  bound  he  flung  away  reason  and  persua- 
sion, and  seized  the  scourge  and  the  sword,  with  which  to  put  down 
his  opponents.  Not  words  but  blows  were  to  be  his  arguments. 
And  now  we  find  him  whipping  and  murdering  his  brother  Jews 
for  not  believing  as  he  believed,  even  going  at  the  head  of  a  band 
of  careless,  irreligious  soldiers  to  seize  men  and  women  who  had 
never  done  him  any  harm.  And  yet  he  tells  us  in  his  writings 
that  even  now,  while  he  was  a  persecutor,  one  of  his  own  near 
relations  had  already  become  a  Nazarene. 

But  he  was  rapidly  reaching  the  limit  of  what  he  could  do. 
He  could  not  advance  beyond  imprisonment  and  death.  If  people 
would  rather  die  than  give  up  Jesus,  what  then  ?  Killing  them 
would  not  change  their  religion.  He  was  powerless  if  they  defied 
him  still.  He  could  advance  no  further  by  that  way.  Was  there 
not  another  way  ?  What  about  Stephen's  way,  which  was  Jesus' 
way — the  way  of  gentleness  and  persuasion  1 

Amid  the  clattering  of  horses'  feet,  the  ringing  of  armour, 


MGHTING    AGAINST    GOD.  135 

and  the  shouts  of  rough  soldiers,  he  rode  out  of  Jerusalem,  not 
like  a  quiet  scholar  whose  whole  desire  was  to  spend  his  life  in 
learning  the  Law  and  the  Traditions,  but  like  a  stern,  threatening 
officer.  In  desperation  the  ecclesiastic  had  turned  soldier.  He 
had  filled  the  prisons  with  the  first  martyrs  for  Christ,  and  he 
was  riding  out  for  more.  When  priests  become  soldiers  they  excel 
in  cruelty,  and  Paul  was  among  that  class.  Soldiers  often  fight 
without  anger,  but  priests  fight  at  white  heat. 

He  was  now  in  the  open  country,  away  from  the  whirl  and 
excitement  of  Jerusalem  and  the  daily  contact  with  zealots  as 
fierce  as  himself,  who  had  excited  him  to  greater  activity  and 
violence  by  saying  that  death  was  the  only  thing  for  men  who 
spoke  against  the  Law  of  Moses.  There  was  plenty  of  time  for 
reflection,  for  he  had  no  companion  with  whom  he  could  talk  as 
an  equal.  He  was  a  learned  rabbi ;  they  were  careless  soldiers. 
He  had  thus  a  week  of  monotonous  riding  before  him — a  week 
the  most  of  which  would  be  spent  in  travelling  through  the  land 
of  Jesus. 


Fig^hting  against  Qod. 

PALESTINE  :    AGED    30-40. 

IN  that  week  of  thought,  the  actions  of  the  new  and  stirring 
period  of  his  life  would  pass  like  a  panorama  through  his 
mind,  with  long  backward  glances  at  his  tranquil  life  before. 
His  universe,  which  used  to  be  one  of  books  and  wise  sayings, 
had  rapidly  changed  into  a  world  of  scourges,  clubs,  chains, 
daggers — the  weapons  of  a  public  persecutor.  The  change  was 
not  pleasant.  Was  it  right,  without  a  doubt?  One  thing  was 
becoming  plainer  every  day — that  it  was  beyond  his  power  to 
put  down  the  Nazarenes  by  force.  Was  Jesus  greater  than  the 
Sanhedrim  ? 

He  had  wished  to  live  a  life  of  righteousness  under  the  Law, 
but  the  more  he  strove  after  it,  the  more  impossible  it  had  be- 
come. Rules  were  added  to  rules,  and  even  the  rabbis  had  to 
admit  that  it  was  impossible  to  keep  them  all,  and  therefore 
impossible  for  any  man  to  be  perfect.  And  when  he  thought 
of  the  zealots  in  Jerusalem — some  of  them  murderers,  liars,  rob- 
bers— he  had  to  confess  that  the  fruit  of  all  their  zeal  for  the 
Law  was  poor  indeed.  From  childhood  he  had  been  learning, 
learning,  learning,  but  he  was  no  nearer  the  end ;  such  learning 
gave  him  little  pleasure,  small  hope,  and  no  peace.     Where  for 


1S6  FIGHTING    AGAINST    GOD. 

him  was  that  peace  of  God  amid  a  world  of  strife  of  which  Jesus 
spoke  1     He  knew  none  of  it. 

"  Peace  I  leave  with  you,  My  peace  I  give  unto  you  :  not 
as  the  world  giveth,  give  I  unto  you."  That  was  another  of 
His  sayings,  and  Stephen  had  possessed  it.  But  he  knew  no 
peace,  only  constant  fighting  with  others  and  with  himself. 

In  his  disputes  with  the  Nazarenes  he  had  heard  over  and 
over  again  what  were  the  grounds  of  their  faith  in  Jesus,  and 
he  had  been  forced  to  know,  learn,  and  meditate  over  many  of 
His  sayings,  in  order  to  meet  and  refute  them  if  he  could.  He 
had  to  admit  that  there  were  truth  and  beauty  in  them,  and  he 
did  not  wonder  that  His  followers  loved  the  gentle  Galilean. 
Their  confidence,  too,  in  pointing  to  the  Bible  as  proof  that  Jesus 
was  the  Christ  was  very  difficult  to  meet.  He  had  to  take  up 
sticks  and  stones  instead  of  words.  And  what  was  the  result? 
In  his  death  Stephen  triumphed  over  his  enemies.  With  clear  and 
holy  mind,  he  had  prayed  for  forgiveness  as  he  was  dying — not  for 
himself,  hut  for  them — rising  at  once  far  above  all  their  hatred 
and  human  rules.  Jesus  too  had  risen  beyond  the  power  of  tor- 
ture and  death.  He  too  had  prayed  for  His  enemies.  Could  it 
be  that  Jesus  and  Stephen  were  greater  than  he  1  for  they  must 
have  been  purer  and  holier. 

At  one  time  he  thought  he  had  only  to  persecute  them  with- 
out mercy  in  Jerusalem  and  the  Nazarenes  would  disappear ;  but 
they  fled  out  to  the  country,  gaining  sympathy  and  friends  wher- 
ever they  went.  Like  a  dam  broken  up,  their  new  religion  was 
forming  streams  and  pools  everywhere.     Here  he  had  failed. 

But  he  could  not  now  stop  or  go  back.  He  hated  it,  but  it 
was  necessary.  He  was  going  to  Damascus  to  bring  back  Naza- 
renes for  punishment.  But  that  was  only  one  town  to  which  they 
had  fled.  What  a  prospect  lay  before  him  of  journeys  and  perse- 
cutions !  He  would  have  to  go  to  every  town  in  which  a  Naza- 
rene  was  to  be  found,  and  stop  him  by  force  from  speaking  of 
what  was  in  his  mind.  In  Galilee  alone  there  were  thousands 
who  knew  Jesus,  and  would  take  up  arms  if  they  were  touched ; 
for  the  Galileans  were  hot  and  impetuous.  And  these  sayings  of 
Jesus — would  they  ever  die  %  The  people  who  heard  them  would 
never  forget  them.  How  could  he  put  down  the  sayings  of  Jesus? 
Thus  far  Gamaliel  had  been  right,  for  persecution  had  only  spread 
the  new  teaching. 

Was  it  possible  for  Jesus  to  he  the  Christ  ?  That  single  question 
was  enough  to  make  him  repeat  all  the  books  of  the  Bible  as 
he  rode  along,  lingering  over  every  passage  in  which  the  hope  of 
the  Jews  was  spoken  about,  and  there  were  many.     He  would 


FIGHTING    AGAINST    GOD.  1ST 

ponder  long  over  those  passages  which  Stephen  used  in  his 
speeches,  until  the  thought  flashed  across  his  mind  like  a  meteor 
and  disappeared.     It  is  not  imjjossible /or  Jesus  to  be  the  Christ. 

This  raised  many  fresh  questions  for  his  scrupulous  conscience 
to  answer.  Was  he  right  in  what  he  was  doing,  or  might  he  be 
wrong  ?  Would  it  not  have  been  wiser  to  let  these  Nazarenes 
alone,  to  rise  or  fall,  and  to  go  on  with  his  studies  as  before, 
instead  of  leading  this  persecution?  He  could  not  stifle  these 
uneasy  voices.  He  had  been  warned  by  his  master,  Gamaliel, 
that  he  might  be  found  to  be  fighting  against  God.  Was  he  not 
doing  so  ?  Was  Stephen's  way  of  righteousness,  which  gave  him 
such  marvellous  strength  and  power,  not,  after  all,  the  true  way  ? 
Could  his  own  way  of  obedience  to  the  Law  ever  give  him  such 
strength?  Was  not  the  gentle  Galilean  the  very  ideal  Christ 
written  of  in  the  Bible,  and  His  new  and  beautiful  teaching  what 
might  be  expected  of  the  Son  of  God  ? 

From  the  time  that  questions  like  these  entered  Paul's  life 
there  was  no  more  rest  for  him.  Just  as  he  had  to  exterminate 
the  Nazarenes,  so  would  he  have  to  conquer  all  these  doubts, 
or  they  would  conquer  him.  He  could  not  lay  them  on  one  side. 
They  would  not  let  him  alone.  They  had  to  be  answered,  yes 
or  no.  He  had  so  long  striven  after  righteousness  that  his  con- 
science was  constantly  pricking  him,  but  never  before  did  he  have 
such  a  vital  question  to  answer. 

Was  he  doing  right  or  doing  wrong  in  persecuting  the  followers 
of  Jesus  1  It  cut  into  the  quick.  If  wrong,  then  how  dreadful 
was  the  wrong  !  His  brain  became  a  whirl  of  agony  when  it  ap- 
peared possible  to  him  that  he  was  persecuting  the  Christ,  and 
putting  Him  afresh  to  death  in  these  unresisting  Nazarenes,  and 
heaping  sin  upon  himself  by  fighting  against  God.  Disappointed 
in  his  efforts  after  righteousness  under  the  Law,  defeated  in  dis- 
putation, foiled  in  his  attempt  to  crush  the  Nazarenes  in  Jerusa- 
lem, he  was  riding  forth  upon  a  hopeless  persecution,  with  fear  in 
his  heart,  his  conscience  on  fire  against  him,  protesting  against  his 
madness.  A  crisis  was  at  hand.  Was  he  or  was  he  not  right  in 
pursuing  gentleness  with  a  naked  sword?  Conscience  whispered 
no;  his  mind  answered  loudly  yes.  And  still  he  rode  on  with 
bowed  head. 


138  THROUGH    JESUS'    LAND. 

Through  Jesus'   Land. 

GALILEE:    AGED  30-40. 

MOUNTED  upon  an  ass,  with  the  sealed  and  signed  letter 
of  the  high  priest  folded  in  his  tunic,  and  horses'  feet 
clattering  around  him  upon  the  stony  road,  Paul  rode  on  with 
his  face  grimly  set  for  Damascus,  whither  he  was  going  as  the 
representative  of  the  great  head  of  the  Jewish  Church.  He  had 
left  far  behind  him  the  temple  with  its  roof  of  gold.  He  had 
left  that  bare  rocky  mound  without  the  city  wall,  so  often  visited 
by  the  Nazarenes,  where  the  cross  of  Jesus  stood.  He  had  left 
the  tree-clad  Mount  of  Olives.  People  said  the  young  Prophet 
wept  as  He  rode  over  that  hill  surrounded  by  rejoicing  friends — 
wept  not  for  Himself,  but  for  Jerusalem.  The  rabbis  said  that 
in  the  temple  He  told  the  people  openly  that  he  was  the  Son  of 
God,  and  had  called  upon  them  to  believe  in  Him. 

As  Paul  rode  along  the  ridge  of  the  bare  hills  of  Judea,  and 
through  the  wide,  stony  valleys,  he  saw  far  down  below  him  the  trees 
that  lined  the  banks  of  the  Jordan,  and  he  caught  the  flash  of 
water  in  the  sunshine.  It  was  there  that  John  the  Baptist  first 
told  of  the  coming  Christ,  and  people  said  they  had  heard  voices 
in  the  air  when  Jesus  was  baptized.  Looking  from  a  hill- top,  he 
saw  the  great  blue  Mediterranean,  which  he  knew  better  than 
the  windings  of  the  Jordan.  As  he  rode  through  the  stony  plain 
of  Bethel,  he  saw  the  place  where  Jacob  rested,  calling  it  the 
house  of  God  and  gate  of  heaven.  Was  God  in  that  stony  valley 
as  well  as  in  the  golden  temple  ? 

When  the  rich  and  fruitful  plain  of  Esdraelon  spread  out 
before  hira,  he  saw  it  dotted  over  with  many  farms  and  villages, 
rich  fields,  fruitful  vineyards,  and  olive  gardens,  bounded  by 
the  Carmel  range,  the  round  and  wooded  Mount  Tabor,  and  the 
green  hills  of  Nazareth  beyond.  Only  a  few  years  ago,  the  feet 
of  Jesus  had  walked  along  these  dusty  roads  and  hard  field  paths, 
and  through  every  one  of  these  straggling  villages,  and  He  had 
rested  from  the  heat  in  many  of  the  white  houses.  There  was  not 
a  tree  that  He  had  not  seen,  not  a  house  in  which  His  face  was 
not  remembered,  not  a  man  or  woman  but  could  tell  a  story  of 
Him  and  repeat  some  of  His  sayings.  Trees  were  there  whose 
shade  He  had  sought,  stones  on  which  He  had  rested.  Through 
these  red  lanes  in  the  fields  He  had  been  followed  by  little  chil- 
dren, to  whom  He  turned  and  spoke  kind  words. 

Paul  was  riding  through  these  peaceful  scenes  with  soldiers 


PASSING    THE    BLUE    LAKE.  139 

at  his  back.  But  were  he  to  ask  yonder  young  mother  return- 
ing from  the  well,  with  a  red  earthenware  jar  on  her  head  and 
a  rosy  child  clinging  to  her  dress,  if  she  knew  Jesus,  and  what 
she  thought  of  Him,  she  would  answer,—^, 

"He  who  went  about  doing  good?  There  was  none  like  unto 
Him.     He  blessed  my  child." 

But  the  Law  forbade  Paul  to  speak  to  a  womaij  by  the  way. 

Across  that  wide  plain  and  he  would  be  close  to  the  vale 
of  Nazareth  and  the  white  village  near  the  head,  whence  Jesus 
came,  and  over  the  round  stones  of  whose  streets  He  ran  with 
bare  feet  when  a  child.  He  had  heard  that  for  seventeen 
years  He  worked  there  as  a  village  carpenter,  before  coming  to 
Jerusalem  to  tell  the  rabbis  that  they  were  false  teachers  and 
blind  guides.  While  he,  Paul,  was  learning  year  after  year  the 
weary  Laws  and  Traditions,  Jesus  was  cutting  wood  with  axe  and 
saw ;  and  yet  He  had  spoken  with  authority — a  thing  which  Paul 
could  not  do.  There,  in  the  little  white  synagogue,  Jesus  had 
been  rejected  by  His  own  friends  and  neighbours  for  speaking  as 
if  He  were  the  Christ. 

If  Paul  stopped  countrymen  on  the  road,  or  called  them  up 
from  the  fields  to  make  inquiries,  asking  them  what  they  knew 
about  Jesus,  he  would  find  them  very  slow  to  say  anything  more 
than  that  He  was  good  and  kind.  Had  they  ever  seen  Him? 
Yes ;  His  face  was  like  the  face  of  an  angel.  Had  they  heard 
Him  speak?  Yes;  no  man  ever  spake  like  Him.  At  the  inns 
where  he  slept  he  would  hear  stories  of  His  kindness  and  of  His 
sayings,  which  were  the  common  talk  up  and  down  the  country. 
He  would  hear,  too,  that  Jesus  had  been  killed  by  the  priests  at 
Jerusalem,  but  that  some  said  He  was  not  dead.  He  would 
find  much  to  think  about  as  he  rode  through  Jesus'  land. 


Passing  the   Blue   Lake. 

GALILEE  :    AGED  30. 

PAUL  was  now  in  green  Galilee,  the  home  of  Jesus.  Every 
man  or  woman  he  met  had  seen  or  heard  of  Him — the 
woman  at  the  door,  the  man  in  the  field,  the  shepherd  sheltering 
from  the  sun  under  the  tree ;  and  there  he  could  learn  more  in 
an  hour  about  the  real  Jesus  than  in  a  year  in  Jerusalem,  for 
the  common  people  loved  Him. 

His  eyes  looked  upon  the  blue  lake  of  Gennesaret  flashing  in 


140  PASSING    THE    BLUE    LAKE. 

the  sun.  Jesus  had  sailed  there,  and  had  lived  for  weeks  at  a 
time  in  yonder  town  of  Capernaum.  As  he  gazed  at  the  sur- 
rounding hills,  the  fruitful  plain,  the  winding  streams,  the  white 
beach,  the  far  undulating  shore  with  towns  and  villages  round  it, 
the  deep  mirror  and  the  brown-sailed  fishing-boats  upon  it,  his 
eyes  were  feasting  upon  a  scene  that  was  dear  to  the  Nazarenes. 
Not  only  had  Jesus  lived  and  taught  more  beside  these  shores 
than  anywhere  else,  but  the  eleven  disciples  who  had  lived  with 
Hira,  and  were  now  defending  His  memory  and  spreading  His 
teaching  so  fearlessly,  had  come  from  near  that  lake. 

People  said  that  the  young  Prophet  used  to  speak  to  crowds 
from  a  fishing-boat  as  it  rocked  in  the  water,  while  they  stood 
close  packed  upon  the  beach.  On  a  slope  of  yonder  hill  He 
chose  His  disciples,  and  told  them  what  they  were  to  do  when 
He  was  killed.  Capernaum,  Bethsaida,  Magdala,  Csesarea — in 
all  these  towns  His  appearance  was  familiar,  and  His  sayings 
were  better  known  by  the  common  people  than  those  of  the 
greatest  rabbis  of  Jerusalem. 

What  did  the  people  by  the  lake  side  think  of  this  young 
Carpenter  from  the  hills  above  them?  They  thought  He  was 
indeed  a  great  prophet,  if  He  was  not  the  very  Christ  Himself. 
Before  Paul  passed  out  of  Jesus'  country,  he  had  reason  to  feel 
the  full  hopelessness  of  the  task  he  had  come  out  upon.  Put 
down  Jesus  and  His  followers  !  stamp  out  the  memory  of  His 
kind  acts  !  blot  out  His  sayings  !  He  might  as  well  try  to  empty 
yonder  blue  lake  with  his  hand. 

"  What  think  ye  of  Jesus  ? "  That  question  had  been  often 
asked.  Now  it  had  come  home  to  himself.  Whose  Son  is  He  ? 
Could  it  be  possible  that  all  He  had  said  and  done  in  these  three 
years  was  only  the  work  of  a  man?  Had  He  the  spirit  of  evil 
in  Him,  as  the  Sadducees  said?  Paul  rejected  that  slander  of 
the  hated  Sadducees  with  rising  anger.  Whatever  Jesus  was, 
He  was  not  wicked.  Was  He  righteous,  then?  Was  God  in 
Him,  as  He  himself  said?  Was  it  possible  that,  led  on  by  the 
Sadducees  of  Jerusalem,  they  had  killed  a  great  Prophet,  as  their 
fathers  had  done  before  ?  Was  Stephen  right  when  he  said  so  ? 
And  Stephen,  too,  they  had  killed. 

Thinking  and  riding,  Paul  passed  away  from  the  lake  and 
its  towns  and  villages,  where  even  the  very  children  loved  the 
name  of  Jesus,  and  kept  on  to  the  northward,  past  the  marshy 
Lake  Merom,  where  the  black  heads  of  the  horned  buffalo 
appeared  amongst  the  reeds,  and  the  wild  fowl  rose  in  flocks. 
Crossing  the  Jordan  by  the  Roman  bridge,  he  came  to  the  gay 
and  beautiful  city  of  Csesarea,  where  a  Nazarene  would  have  been 


"WHY    PERSECUTEST   THOU    ME?"  141 

to  him  as  a  friend,  compared  with  the  idolaters  who  worshipped 
wood  and  stone. 

The  road  from  this  high  and  breezy  city  was  along  the  foot 
of  the  cedar-clad  Lebanon  range,  with  mighty  Mount  Hermon 
lifting  a  cap  of  snow  into  the  blue  sky  above  him.  Over 
hills  and  through  valleys  he  pursued  his  way,  for  he  was  still 
some  days  distant  from  Damascus.  At  length  he  was  out  of  the 
country  of  Jesus.  No  one  could  ride  through  it  on  such  an 
errand  without  feeling  the  influence  of  his  surroundings;  for 
the  passionate  Galileans  loved  Jesus  as  deeply  and  strongly 
as  the  proud  Judeans  hated  Him.  There,  amid  these  hills, 
vales,  and  woods.  He  lived  and  taught  without  fear  of  priests 
or  rabbis ;  and  no  traveller  could  fail  to  learn  what  tlie  people 
thought  of  Him,  for  the  great  question  was  being  raised  again 
by  the  persecuted  Nazarenes  everywhere  :  "  What  think  ye  of 
Jesus?  whose  Son  was  He?"  And  the  question  pierced  Paul 
like  an  arrow.  Another  shaft  was  from  the  hand  of  his  teacher 
Gamaliel — "  Beware  lest  you  be  found  to  be  fighting  against  God." 
"  You  are  fighting  against  God,"  his  conscience  kept  saying,  in 
ever-louder  tones.  "  I  am  fighting  for  God,"  his  brain  replied. 
"  What  if  He  be  the  true  Christ,  the  Son  of  God  ? "  And  this 
question  woke  a  train  of  Scripture  w^hich  left  him  still  in  doubt. 
And  so  he  rode  on,  with  doubts  that  were  becoming  torture  to 
one  who  prided  himself  upon  keeping  a  conscience  void  of  offence 
toward  God  and  man. 


"Why  persecutes!  thou  Me?" 

DAMASCUS:    AGED   30-40. 

WHEN  he  was  persecuting  the  Nazarenes  in  Jerusalem,  Paul 
was  exceedingly  mad  against  them,  and  his  mental  ex- 
citement did  not  grow  less  during  his  ride,  as  he  kept  asking 
himself  the  question.  Was  he  fighting  against  God?  From 
among  the  masses  of  black  shelving  rocks  and  loose  boulders, 
strewn  with  cinders  and  lava  powder,  that  covered  the  hills 
below  the  mighty  Hermon,  the  road  gradually  descended  east- 
wards to  the  lower  country  and  the  caravan  road  that  wound 
through  shallow  valleys  towards  the  distant  city.  He  was  now 
on  the  last  stage  of  his  journey.  On  the  one  hand  were  the 
green  and  beautifully-wooded  hills  and  valleys  of  Gilead,  on  the 
other  the  bare  ridges  of  the  lower  Lebanons,  covered  with  rocks 
of  black  and  grey,  with  here  and  there  the  ragged  tops  of  dark- 
green  cedars  rising  from  the  clefts. 


142  "WHY   PERSECUTEST   THOU   ME?" 

The  country  through  which  he  was  riding  was  watered  by  two 
rivers,  making  the  district  rich  and  productive  whichever  way 
they  turned.  Villages  of  square  white  houses,  cultivated  fields, 
and  spreading  trees  told  him  that  the  soil  was  richer  than  any 
near  Jerusalem.  From  every  rising  ground  he  saw  the  grey 
houses  of  Damascus  in  the  far  distance,  with  towers  and  spires 
glittering  in  the  sunshine,  amid  a  landsca})e  rich  in  trees :  a 
striking  contrast  to  the  barren  ashes  and  lava  rocks  from  which 
he  had  come  down — not  unlike  the  Paul  of  the  past  and  of  the 
future. 

For  three  miles  around  the  ancient  city,  which  is  charming 
to  this  day,  the  country  was  beautiful  with  the  foliage  of  trees 
of  every  shade  of  green,  marking  out  the  spots  where  the  rich 
citizens  had  their  spreading  woods,  their  plantations  of  vine  and 
olive,  their  pleasure  gardens  and  their  farms ;  so  that  when  the 
sun  shone  upon  the  white  houses  and  gleamed  upon  the  green 
trees,  the  city  looked,  as  a  poet  said,  like  a  handful  of  pearls  in  a 
cup  of  emerald.  By  others  it  was  called  a  garden  of  Eden.  For 
there  grew  the  feathery  palm  with  crest  of  brightest  green,  the 
silver-leaved  olive,  the  wide-spreading  sycamore,  and  the  tapering 
poplar ;  while  the  sunny  vineyards  between  were  the  richest  in 
all  Syria,  fed  and  nourished  by  the  sweet  waters  of  Pharpar  and 
Abana. 

Paul's  eyes  might  well  have  rested  with  satisfaction  and  con- 
tentment on  such  a  scene,  after  the  paths  of  hot  ashes  and  black 
rock  through  which  he  had  passed;  but  it  was  not  in  the  power 
of  earthly  loveliness  to  bring  peace  to  a  mind  on  fire  with  impa- 
tience to  be  at  his  journey's  end,  and  to  stifle  in  the  activity 
and  crowds  of  a  city  these  whispering  voices  which  assailed  him 
amid  the  solitudes  of  the  hills  and  valleys. 

He  saw  the  end  of  his  journey,  and  was  eager  to  be  there ; 
but  the  road  descended  into  hot  hollows,  and  the  prospect  of 
the  fair  city  and  its  green  surroundings  disappeared  from  view. 
It  is  usual  on  such  a  journey  to  stop  and  rest  in  the  shadow 
of  thick  trees  during  the  fierce  mid-day  heat.  But  Paul  would 
not  rest.  Word  had  already  reached  the  city  that  he,  the 
terrible  persecutor  of  the  Nazarenes,  was  on  his  way  to  seize 
the  leading  men  and  make  them  prisoners.  And  they  dreaded 
his  appearing.  Something  urged  him  on,  and  not  even  the  un- 
bearable heat  of  noon  could  stop  him. 

They  were  not  far  from  the  city,  urging  their  animals  forward 
with  drooping  heads  in  the  sun-glare  that  burned  upon  the  white 
road  like  living  fire,  with  light  almost  as  torturing  to  his  eyes  as 
if  he  had  been  looking  at  the  sun  itself.     The  air  quivered  with 


*'WHY   PERSECUTEST   THOU   ME?"  143 

heat  around  him.  In  that  land,  at  that  hour,  the  stillness  is 
intense.  Cattle  lie  down  in  the  scant  shade  of  rock  or  bush. 
No  sound  of  tinkling  camel-bells  is  heard,  for  the  roads  are 
deserted.  The  brooding  stillness  of  the  hour  of  fire  was  broken 
only  by  the  dull,  slow  beat  of  their  horses'  feet  in  the  dust.  Sud- 
denly a  blaze  of  light  poured  out  of  the  skies,  and  shone  round 
about  them  with  dazzling  glory,  and  they  all  fell  down  upon  the 
white  road. 

The  soldiers  rose  to  their  feet  at  once.  Paul  did  not  rise, 
but  lay  prostrate,  for  he  had  been  struck  blind.  The  blaze  of 
light  was  followed  by  a  sound  in  the  air.  To  the  soldiers  it  was 
only  a  sound  ;  but  to  Paul,  filled  with  terror  and  amazement,  it 
was  the  voice  of  God,  saying  to  him, — 

"Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  Me?  It  is  hard  for  thee 
to  kick  against  the  pricks." 

He  had  escaped  death,  and  question  and  answer  followed  each 
other  in  rapid  succession  in  his  mind. 

''  Who  art  Thou,  Lord  ? " 

"  I  am  Jesus  of  Nazareth  whom  thou  persecutest." 

"What  am  I  to  do?" 

"  Kise,  and  go  into  Damascus,  and  there  it  will  be  told  thee 
what  thou  must  do." 

The  men  did  not  hear  the  message.  When  he  rose  and  opened 
his  eyes,  they  saw  that  he  was  blind ;  for  he  could  not  see  them, 
but  held  out  his  hands  as  if  to  feel  his  way  :  so  they  took  him 
by  the  hand  and  helped  him,  leading  his  ass  along  the  road  to- 
wards the  city. 

With  the  soldiers  the  whole  thing  was  over  in  an  instant's 
blaze  of  lightning  and  crash  of  thunder;  but  to  Paul  it  was  a 
revelation.  He  saw  Jesus  in  the  hght,  and  heard  Him  in  the 
sound,  receiving  this  further  message  : — 

"For  this  have  I  appeared  to  you,  to  make  you  a  minister 
and  a  witness  both  of  what  you  have  seen  and  of  what  I  will 
make  known  to  you  :  delivering  you  from  the  people  and  from 
foreigners,  to  whom  I  shall  send  you  to  open  their  eyes,  and  turn 
them  from  darkness  to  the  light,  and  from  evil  to  God,  that  they 
may  receive  forgiveness  of  their  sins,  and  a  place  among  them 
that  are  made  pure  by  faith  in  Me." 

And  thus,  in  a  moment  of  deadly  peril,  Jesus  was  revealed 
in  him,  taking  the  mastery  of  his  distressed  mind,  and  pointing 
the  way  to  his  bewildered  feet ;  for  he  was  not  disobedient  unto 
the  heavenly  vision,  but  yielded  himself  to  it — a  vision  of  Jesus 
such  as  Stephen  saw.  As  they  went  he  told  the  soldiers  of  his 
vision,  and  of  the  voice  and  the  message.     And  they  were  aston- 


144  IN    DAKKNESS   AND    MISERY. 

ished  to  hear  him,  the  persecutor  of  Jerusalem,  speaking  in  this 
way  of  Jesus  the  Nazarene,  of  whom  he  had  said  such  terrible 
things,  and  whose  followers  he  had  come  so  far  to  persecute. 

As  they  rode  between  the  flickering  trees  that  lined  the  road 
on  each  side  close  to  the  beautiful  city,  listening  to  his  strange 
words,  his  companions  were  amazed  at  the  sudden  change  which 
had  come  over  their  leader,  and  talked  in  whispers  of  the  vision 
he  had,  but  which  they  did  not  see ;  and  of  the  voice  he  heard, 
but  which  they  did  not  hear.  Going  through  the  low  stone  arch- 
way of  the  gate  in  the  walls,  they  entered  the  city ;  and  as  they 
went  along  the  tree-shaded,  flower-scented  streets,  the  people 
passing  by  saw  the  strange  sight  of  a  young  Jewish  rabbi  from 
Jerusalem,  well  known  by  his  striking  white  dress,  being  brought 
into  their  city  blind,  his  ass  led  by  the  hand,  and  soldiers  follow- 
ing him. 

And  it  was  whispered  from  one  to  another  that  this  was 
Paul  who  had  been  sent  by  the  high  priest  at  Jerusalem  to  take 
prisoners  those  of  the  sect  of  the  Nazarenes  in  the  city,  and 
that  he  had  been  struck  blind  as  he  rode,  only  a  little  way  out 
from  the  city  walls.  And  the  news  of  his  blindness  and  of 
what  he  said  about  it  was  carried  to  the  Jews'  quarter,  where 
the  Nazarenes  were  daily  expecting  his  arrival  with  dread  and 
fear.  He  was  to  live  with  Judas  in  the  Straight  Street,  and 
thither  the  soldiers  took  him,  and  after  telling  what  had  hap- 
pened they  left  him  there,  ill  and  blind. 


In  Darkness  and  Misery. 

DAMASCUS:    AGED  30-40. 

DAMASCUS,  with  its  rivers  and  roses,  is  said  to  be  the  oldest 
city  in  the  world,  and  it  was  there,  on  the  edge  of  the  desert, 
a  thousand  years  before  Paul  was  born,  and  is  there  still.  It 
used  to  be  reached  on  soft-footed  camels,  over  dusty  roads ;  but 
now  there  is  a  railway,  and  the  whistle  and  rattle  of  the  steam- 
engine  are  heard.  But  still  the  golden  river  Abana,  that  comes 
winding  down  from  the  distant  Anti-Lebanon  hills,  flows  through 
the  city,  filling  the  troughs,  wells,  and  fountains  in  the  streets 
and  gardens  with  cool,  sweet  water,  to  wind  away  towards  the 
hot,  fiery  desert,  where  it  is  lost  amid  reed  marshes  and  sand 
hollows. 

When  Paul  rode  into  the  city,  it  was  surrounded  with  thick 


IN   DARKNESS    AND    MISERY.  145 

stone  walls,  with  towers  upon  them,  and  dark  archways  for  the 
gates,  so  low  that  a  loaded  camel  could  scaicely  get  through. 
The  principal  street  was  about  a  mile  long  from  the  east  to  the 
west  gates,  with  stone  pillars  down  each  side,  supporting  a  narrow 
stone  roof  over  the  footway,  that  made  a  shaded  path  for  the 
people  when  the  sun  was  hot;  and  there  was  a  fine  stone  arch 
across  it.  Remains  of  these  pillars  are  still  standing,  along  with 
the  arch  at  the  western  gateway,  through  which  Paul  would  enter. 
The  people  now  call  this  the  Straight  Street  in  which  he  lived. 
There  can  be  little  doubt  that  he  went  up  that  street  a  blind 
man,  and  that  often  afterwards  he  walked  in  the  shade  of  these 
pillared  footways. 

Vitellius,  the  Roman  governor  of  Syria,  permitted  Aretas,  an 
Arab  chief,  to  call  himself  king  of  the  city,  and  also  allowed  the 
Jews,  who  traded  there  in  large  numbers,  to  worship  as  they 
pleased.  The  news  of  Paul's  arrival  made  a  stir  in  the  Jewish 
synagogues,  for,  as  in  Jerusalem,  there  had  been  frequent  dis- 
cussions with  the  Nazarenes  about  Jesus ;  and  while  some  were 
glad  that  Paul  was  coming  with  a  letter  from  the  high  priest, 
other  Jews  who  were  Nazarenes  were  in  terror,  for  they  had 
heard  of  his  terrible  cruelty  in  Jerusalem. 

Among  them  was  one  Ananias,  who,  like  Paul,  was  a  believer 
in  the  Jewish  Law  and  the  Traditions,  and  kept  them  so  well  that 
he  was  called  a  good  man  by  the  Jews,  until  he  joined  the  Naza- 
renes. He  was  deeply  moved  when  he  heard  what  had  happened 
to  Paul,  and  that  Jesus  had  appeared  and  rebuked  him.  He 
knew  he  was  lying  ill  at  Judas's  house,  and  wondered  what 
would  happen  next.  Would  Paul  carry  out  his  threats  when 
he  got  well?  He  dreamed  one  night  that  Jesus  bade  him  go 
to  Judas's  house  in  the  Straight  Street  and  ask  for  Paul,  because 
he  had  had  a  vision  that  Ananias  would  come  and  put  his  hands 
on  him,  that  he  might  recover  his  sight.  And  when  he  awoke  he 
believed  God  wished  him  to  go  and  tell  Paul  of  his  dream  and 
help  him. 

Now  Paul  was  very  miserable.  His  sight  had  not  come  back, 
and  he  was  so  ill  that  he  would  neither  eat  nor  drink.  In  pain 
and  darkness  he  was  fighting  out  a  conflict  that  would  change  the 
course  of  his  life,  and  bring  him  forth  from  darkness  into  light. 
His  face  was  turning  towards  God  as  repentance  entered  his  heart. 
In  persecuting  the  Nazarenes  he  had  indeed  been  fighting  against 
God.  Jesus  of  Nazareth  was  the  promised  Christ  and  Son  of 
God,  and  henceforth  his  life  must  move  to  that  faith.  Between 
the  bitterness  of  remorse  and  doubt  as  to  his  future,  he  was  in 
a  state  of  fever  and  despair.     Ill,  blind,  in  a  strange  city,  with 

(1,040)  10 


146  THE   GREAT   CHANGE. 

his  priest's  letter  turned  to  ashes  in  his  hand — what  would  the 
Sanhedrim  say  when  they  heard  of  it?  What  would  the  Kaza- 
renes  say'?  Would  they  believe  him,  or  think  he  was  telling 
lies  to  deceive  them?  But  ever  amid  his  darkness  the  golden 
vision  of  Jesus  shone  over  him,  and  the  message  throbbed  in  his 
brain. 

Jesus  the  Christ !  On  that  bright  thought  he  would  turn 
from  death  to  life,  dying  to  the  Jewish  law  and  living  to  the 
Spirit  of  Jesus.  But  what  that  great  change  would  mean  he  did 
not  yet  know,  nor  what  he  would  do.  When  he  thought  of  the 
death  of  Jesus,  and  Stephen,  and  others  whose  faces  peopled  his 
night,  in  pain  and  darkness  he  prayed  to  God  and  Jesus  for 
pardon  and  guidance.  And  an  answer  was  coming  by  a  Naza- 
rene,  Ananias  of  Damascus,  who  would  lay  his  hand  on  his  burn- 
ing eyes — burning  from  too  much  light — and  tell  him  of  love, 
pardon,  hope. 


The   Great  Change. 

DAMASCUS:   AGED  30-40. 

THE  wind  sighed  in  the  green  trees  by  the  house,  the  sun- 
shine flooded  the  white  street,  the  golden  stars  throbbed  and 
glowed  in  the  indigo  sky,  but  the  night  and  the  day  were  alike  to 
Paul.  Three  days  passed,  during  which  he  lay  sick  and  blind  in 
the  darkened  room  of  Judas's  house,  and  the  Nazarenes  in  their 
secret  meeting  thought  that  when  he  recovered  he  would  begin 
his  dread  work  of  persecution  again.  But  when  Ananias  told 
them  of  his  dream,  hope  sprang  up.  Perhaps  the  young  rabbi 
would  be  warned,  and  go  back  to  Jerusalem  and  leave  them  in 
peace.  They  bade  Ananias  obey  the  message  from  heaven,  and 
go  to  Paul  and  urge  him  not  to  disobey  the  heavenly  vision  and 
he  would  be  forgiven. 

Going  to  Judas's  house  in  the  Straight  Street,  the  timid 
Ananias  asked  for  Paul,  the  young  rabbi  of  Jerusalem  ;  and  there, 
in  a  darkened  room,  he  saw  the  terrible  young  Pharisee  who  had 
scattered  the  Nazarenes,  and  had  come  with  soldiers  to  bind  him 
and  his  friends.  There  he  lay,  sick,  silent,  blind,  miserable, 
unable  to  see  him.  Judas  would  tell  Paul  who  had  come,  and 
that  he  was  a  Nazarene,  well  known  for  his  obedience  to  the 
Jewish  law,  and  a  flush  of  expectation  would  light  up  his  face. 
Going  over  to  his  low  bed,  Ananias  put  his  hands  upon  his  head, 
saying  in  a  solemn  voice, — 


THE    GREAT    CHANGE.  147 

"Brother  Paul,  the  Lord  Jesus,  who  appeared  to  you  in  the 
way  as  you  came,  has  sent  me,  that  you  might  receive  your  sight, 
and  be  filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit." 

Paul's  heart  was  deeply  stirred.  This  was  an  answer  to  his 
cry  and  prayer.  A  Nazarene  had  called  him  "  brother  ! "  One 
of  those  he  had  come  to  scourge  and  imprison  had  visited  him 
in  his  affliction,  to  speak  words  of  comfort  and  encouragement. 
Here  was  a  hand  held  out  to  him,  to  lead  him  back  to  firm 
ground.     Hope  rose,  and  his  spirit  was  strengthened. 

Who  was  this  who  stood  in  his  darkened  room  like  an  angel  of 
light  ?  Oh  that  he  could  see  him  !  Light  came,  and  when  Paul 
looked  he  could  dimly  see  the  man.  Sight,  banished  in  an 
instant  of  excessive  light,  was  slowly  returning  to  his  pained 
eyes.  When  hope  returns,  strength  comes.  And  as  Paul  lay 
there  with  eyes  closed,  he  heard  a  voice  from  without,  urging, 
pleading  with  him  to  become  a  Nazarene;  and  a  voice  within, 
calling  him  to  rise  and  follow, — 

"  The  God  of  our  fathers  has  appointed  you  to  know  His  will, 
and  see  the  Righteous  One,  and  to  hear  a  voice  from  His  mouth." 

The  voice  confirmed  the  vision  on  the  Damascus  road.  Ana- 
nias continued, — 

"  For  you  will  be  a  witness  for  Jesus  to  all  men  of  what  you 
have  seen  and  heard." 

This  Nazarene,  then,  believed  his  story  of  the  vision  and  the 
message.  He  had  not  come  to  tell  him  he  was  too  wicked  ever 
to  be  received  by  the  followers  of  Jesus,  but  had  poured  the  oil  of 
hope  upon  his  broken  spirit. 

In  despair,  Paul  doubted  if  he  could  ever  be  forgiven  for  his 
crimes.  How  could  they  be  blotted  out  1  "  Obey  the  call  of 
Jesus,"  said  this  gentle  Nazarene.  ''Rise  from  the  couch  of 
death  into  a  new  life.  Repentance  brings  forgiveness.  Water 
is  the  sign  of  purification  and  renewal." 

"  Why  do  you  wait  1 "  the  voice  said  again.  "  Rise ;  be  bap- 
tized, and  wash  away  your  sins,  calling  on  His  name."  He  knew 
this  was  the  Nazarene  sign  of  repentance  and  membership.  It 
would  mark  the  great  change  by  calling  not  only  upon  God,  as 
he  was  accustomed  to  do,  but  upon  Jesus,  whom  he  once  hated 
and  persecuted,  recognizing  Him  as  his  Lord  and  Master. 
Was  he  ready?  Having  seen  the  light,  having  seen  the  Lord, 
could  he  sink  back  into  darkness?  Yes,  he  was  ready;  but  who 
was  there  to  baptize  him  and  hear  his  confession?  Ananias 
would. 

And  there  Paul,  the  cruel  Pharisee,  the  learned  rabbi,  who  had 
reached  his  place  in  the  Sanhedrim  by  years  of  ceremonial  observ- 


148  PAUL   THE    NAZARENE. 

ance,  was  taken  out  of  his  old  dead  existence  into  newness  of  life, 
the  great  change  being  marked  by  a  simple  Jewish  sign,  similar  in 
kind  to  those  washings  and  purifyings  in  the  temple  with  which 
he  was  familiar.  Before  these  two  strange  men  he  prayed  with 
the  faith  of  a  little  child  that  all  his  sins  might  be  forgiven  for 
Jesus'  sake,  calling  upon  His  name  for  the  first  time  in  the  Naza- 
rene  way ;  and  as  a  sign  that  his  cry  was  answered,  Ananias  bap- 
tized him  with  water.  Paul  rose  from  his  knees  a  new  man. 
Old  things  had  passed  away.  He  had  come  from  darkness  into 
light.  He  had  died  to  the  Law,  and  it  was  dead  to  him,  that  he 
might  live  to  the  Spirit.  His  old  life  was  dead  with  Jesus  on  the 
cross ;  his  new  life  rose  with  His  resurrection  to  live  for  evermore. 
He  was  forgiven,  but  he  would  prove  his  repentance  by  his  life. 
This  gave  him  deep  joy,  and  when  food  was  brought  he  ate,  and 
felt  stronger,  as  he  talked  with  the  gentle  Nazarene. 

Joyfully  Ananias  walked  away  in  the  sunshine,  to  tell  the 
Nazarenes  of  Damascus  that  not  only  was  Paul  not  going  to 
persecute  them,  but  he  had  become  a  Nazarene  and  was  baptized. 
Daily  after  that  he  would  be  found  sitting  in  Paul's  little  room, 
talking  with  him  about  many  things ;  for  days  would  pass  before 
he  would  be  able  to  go  out  into  the  sunshine  and  the  glare 
of  the  white  streets.  And  Paul  would  listen  as  he  had  never 
done  before  to  the  sayings  of  Jesus  which  Ananias  knew,  and 
he  would  astonish  the  Nazarene  by  the  power  with  which  he 
would  prove  to  him  from  the  Bible  that  Jesus  was  indeed  the 
Christ,  the  Son  of  God. 

And  before  he  was  well  enough  to  go  about  the  beautiful 
city,  more  Nazarenes  would  visit  him  in  his  confinement,  to  bring 
him  fruit  and  wine  and  cakes,  and  encourage  him  in  his  resolve  to 
be  a  teacher  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus,  as  the  voice  of  God  within 
called  him  to  be. 


Paul    the    Nazarene. 

DAMASCUS:   AGED    30-40. 

PAUL  was  now  a  Nazarene,  but  he  had  yet  to  renounce  his 
old  religion,  in  which  he  had  been  so  strictly  brought  up  and 
had  risen  so  high,  and  to  learn  the  new  religion  of  Jesus,  so  that 
he  might  teach  it  to  others.  Up  to  this  time  he  was  an  ordi- 
nary man,  with  no  difference  between  him  and  other  young  Phari- 
sees, excepting  that  he  was  exceptionally  clever  and  zealous,  with 
much  to  condemn  in  his  daily  conduct.     His  cruelty  towards  the 


PAUL   THE    NAZARENE.  149 

Nazarenes,  which  was  not  shared  in  by  some  of  the  best  of  the 
Pharisees  and  rabbis,  leaves  upon  his  Hfe  stains  which  are  hard  to 
wipe  out,  and  enough  to  rank  him  with  Pilate  and  Caiaphas,  of 
whose  dark  deeds  he  showed  his  open  approval  by  whipping  and 
killing  those  who  accused  them  of  murdering  Jesus.  Had  the 
stroke  which  he  received  on  the  Damascus  road  ended  in  death, 
his  name  would  have  come  down  to  us  covered  with  infamy.  But 
he  would  live  to  clear  it. 

He  humbly  believed  that  God  had  forgiven  his  dreadful  crimes, 
but  he  never  forgave  himself,  and  mourned  for  them  to  the  end  of 
his  life,  as  something  for  which  he  could  never  atone.  He  had 
now  turned  his  back  upon  these  deeds  of  darkness,  but  had  hardly 
yet  taken  one  step  in  the  way  of  Christ.  A  religious  criminal, 
who  outraged  the  sacred  liberty  of  the  human  mind,  he  was  to 
be  received  into  the  companionship  of  those  whom  he  hunted — 
persons  who  had  walked  with  Jesus,  and  drunk  deep  of  His  sweet 
spirit.  Henceforth  the  Holy  One  of  Galilee  was  to  be  his  soul's 
star,  the  pattern  of  his  life.  Jesus  went  into  the  wilderness ;  so 
would  he.  But  before  doing  so  he  would  no  doubt  write  a  letter 
to  the  high  priest,  and  send  it  back  with  the  soldiers,  announcing 
his  conversion.  Bidding  farewell  to  the  Nazarenes  of  Damascus, 
he  disappeared  into  "Arabia."  Where  that  was  we  cannot  tell, 
but  it  would  be  a  lonely  region  where  he  could  live  in  solitude, 
perhaps  in  the  desert,  beyond  the  marshes  of  the  two  rivers. 

We  do  not  know  how  long  he  remained  away,  but  he  tells  us 
in  one  of  his  letters  that  he  did  not  talk  with  men,  nor  was  he 
taught  by  any  one  there,  but  the  gospel  of  Jesus  was  revealed  to 
him  by  God.  How  different  from  his  twenty  years  of  study  of  the 
religious  Law  and  the  Traditions  !  It  is  not  difficult  to  understand 
what  were  the  things  that  engaged  his  meditation  and  prayer, 
and  how  the  truth  grew  upon  him  during  these  solitary  days  and 
nights  spent  amid  burning  rocks  and  under  flashing  stars.  He 
had  to  unwind  the  false  bindings  of  a  lifetime  to  reach  the  sim- 
plicity of  Jesus. 

Jesus  was  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  promised  in  the  Bible, 
and  in  his  meditations  he  thought  over  what  he  had  heard  from 
Stephen,  Peter,  Ananias,  and  the  Nazarenes,  and  of  the  sayings 
of  Jesus  as  far  as  he  knew  them ;  and  again  he  would  seek  out 
and  put  together  in  close  argument  all  the  parts  of  the  Bible 
which  proved  Him  to  be  the  expected  Saviour  of  His  race.  And 
now  he  could  prove  to  any  rabbi  who  might  dispute  with  him 
that  Jesus  was  the  Christ  foretold  by  the  ancient  prophets. 

It  would  also  become  clear  to  his  mind  that  it  was  an  error, 
based  on  false  traditions  of  men,  to  think  that  the  Christ  was 


150  PAUL   THE    NAZARENE. 

to  be  a  warlike  king  of  a  material  kingdom.  The  Christ  was  a 
prince  of  peace,  whose  kingdom  was  a  spiritual  one,  of  righteous- 
ness, goodness,  and  peace,  in  the  hearts  of  men,  women,  and  little 
children.     That,  too,  he  could  prove  from  the  Bible. 

This  kingdom  of  God  was  not  to  be  for  Jews  only,  but  also  for 
strangers  and  foreigners.  Jesus  had  said  so,  and  the  Bible  showed 
it.  And  as  he  thought  over  the  righteousness  by  keeping  the 
religious  law,  after  which  he  had  toiled,  and  which  was  impossible, 
he  turned  to  the  other  way  of  righteousness  opened  up  by  Jesus. 
He  remembered  that  Jesus  condemned  the  false  teachers  and  the 
traditions  of  men ;  he  remembered,  too,  his  own  anger  when  he 
heard  of  it;  but  now  he  realized  that  Jesus  spoke  the  truth. 
It  had  been  his  own  bitter  experience.  Righteousness  by  the  Law 
was  impossible.  He  had  tried  it.  He  would  try  Jesus'  way. 
Henceforth  he  was  dead  to  the  righteousness  of  the  Law.  It  had 
no  more  life  in  him.     Jesus  was  the  hope  of  glory. 

Jesus  had  saved  him ;  he  would  save  others.  The  Holy  One 
called  upon  men  to  give  up  rules  and  laws  and  follow  Him. 
And  he  would  obey  the  heavenly  vision  of  Damascus,  and  would 
preach  and  teach  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  glad  tidings  of  Jesus 
to  Jews  and  strangers  alike.  He  knew  the  hatred  which  these 
sayings  of  Jesus  had  raised  in  Jerusalem,  where  the  rabbis  taught 
that  none  but  a  Jew  could  enter  heaven.  He,  too,  would  be 
called  a  vile  renegade,  whose  word  was  not  worth  a  feather's  weight. 
But  he  would  not  shorten  the  truth.  The  gospel  of  Jesus  was 
for  the  Jews  first,  and  for  all  mankind,  and  he  believed  that 
foreigners  would  not  resist  it  so  much  as  Jews,  who  had  killed 
the  Holy  One,  and  would  cling  to  their  old  religion. 

And  what  a  world  of  darkness  lay  outside  Judaism  !  He  had 
seen  it  at  Tarsus,  with  its  idols,  idol  altars,  and  idol  temples — 
everywhere  dead  blocks  of  wood  and  stone.  He  would  carry  the 
glorious  gospel  into  strange  cities.  He  had  had  a  bitter  experience 
of  law,  and  force,  and  the  sword  in  religion.  He  was  blind  and 
mad  to  think  that  hatred  and  cruelty  would  convert  men.  Love 
alone  was  the  key  which  could  open  the  mind,  and  love  was  the 
gold  of  Jesus'  teaching.  He  said  that  all  men  were  brothers,  all 
children  of  God,  and  all  must  love  each  other. 

He  was  far  from  knowing  all  about  Jesus,  but  he  knew  what 
the  Bible  said  of  the  Christ,  and  enough  of  His  life  and  death 
to  settle  in  his  mind  what  he  should  say  when  he  came  to  teach 
others.  He  knew  he  would  have  to  give  a  reason  for  the  faith 
which  was  in  him,  and  he  was  ready.  He  knew  that  as  soon 
as  he  opened  his  lips  in  the  synagogue  he  would  be  bitterly 
assailed  by  his  old  friends  the  Pharisees,  who  would  sneer  at  his 


HIS    FIRST    SPEECH.  151 

change,  and  call  him  hypocrite,  blasphemer,  liar ;  and  that  he 
would  have  to  defend  himself  and  Jesus  with  all  his  might. 

Later  on  he  would  learn  more  from  Peter  of  the  pious  life  and 
golden  sayings  of  his  Master,  and  from  other  men  who  had  lived 
with  Him  or  heard  Him  speak.  But  he  knew  enough  to  begin 
with.  Jesus  was  the  Christ  of  the  Bible,  and  through  Him  right- 
eousness could  be  reached  which  was  impossible  by  the  Law  ;  he 
himself  had  got  forgiveness  for  his  terrible  crimes  through  faith  in 
Him,  and  he  would  devote  his  life  to  Him.  He  had  killed  others, 
and  would  offer  his  own  life  in  exchange.  As  a  follower  of  Jesus, 
he  would  face  death  without  fear.  With  a  mind  calmed,  deepened, 
strengthened  by  meditation,  solitude,  prayer,  and  inspired  of  God, 
he  was  ready  to  preach  the  gospel  of  Jesus  with  all  the  skill  of 
a  learned  rabbi  and  the  fervour  of  a  simple  Nazarene. 

Many  men  and  women  mentioned  in  the  Bible — Moses,  Jacob, 
Samuel,  Ezekiel — had  had  visions  that  changed  their  lives  or 
guided  their  actions.  Men  and  women  since  then  have  had  them 
— Luther,  George  Fox,  Joan  of  Arc — but  none  to  equal  that  which 
changed  a  hating  persecutor  of  Jesus  into  a  loving  follower. 


His    First    Speech. 

DAMASCUS  :    AGED    30-40. 

AFTER  a  time  he  returned  from  his  lonely  wanderings  in 
-^-j^  Arabia  to  the  ancient  city  of  sparkling  wells  and  green  trees, 
and  going  to  Ananias  and  the  Nazarenes,  they  rejoiced  to  hear 
from  his  own  lips  that  he  was  determined  to  obey  the  heavenly 
vision.  He  could  not  speak  of  the  sayings  of  Jesus,  but  as  a  rabbi 
he  could  prove  to  the  Jews  out  of  the  Bible,  which  they  all  knew, 
that  the  young  Galilean  crucified  only  about  five  years  ago  was 
the  Christ.  It  would  be  a  hard  battle,  but  he  was  eager  to  begin 
in  the  strength  of  God,  and  for  Jesus'  sake. 

The  first  day  that  he  appeared  in  the  crowded  and  dimly-lit 
synagogue  in  Damascus  was  a  great  one  for  the  Nazarenes.  What 
would  he  say  *?  Young  and  fearless,  with  dusky  face  and  glowing 
eyes,  sitting  in  his  white  tunic,  he  would  not  hesitate,  for  he  was 
a  trained  speaker.  In  the  language  of  a  highly-educated  Jew  his 
countrymen  heard  him  tell  the  story  of  his  mission  to  Damascus, 
his  vision  on  the  road,  and  his  conversion  to  the  belief  that  Jesus 
was  the  Christ ;  then  with  a  rabbi's  skill  he  would  recite  passage 
after  passage  from  the  Bible  to  prove  that  Jesus  was  indeed  the 
Christ  and  Son  of  God.     Before  he  ended  he  had  made  a  public 


152  HIS    FIRST    SPEECH. 

confession  of  the  sins  and  errors  of  his  life,  and  of  the  new  faith 
that  was  in  him.  The  people  of  the  synagogue  had  heard  some- 
thing of  the  change  that  had  come  over  this  young  rabbi,  who  had 
come  to  their  city,  but  whom  they  had  never  seen ;  but  they  did 
not  know  it  all,  and  could  not  believe  what  they  heard. 

"  Is  not  this  the  man  who  in  Jerusalem  made  havoc  of  them 
that  called  on  the  name  of  the  Nazarenes  ? "  exclaimed  one  in- 
dignantly, when  Paul  ended. 

"  Did  he  not  come  hither  to  take  the  Nazarenes  bound  before 
the  chief  priests  ? "  exclaimed  another. 

The  struggle  had  begun.  He  had  publicly  broken  with  his  old 
religion,  and  his  countrymen  were  indignant.  As  he  expected,  his 
address  was  answered  by  the  leaders  of  the  synagogue,  who  ex- 
claimed that  he  was  a  false  teacher,  and  had  not  given  the  right 
meaning  to  the  parts  of  the  Bible  he  repeated ;  and  they  gave 
their  meaning,  and  repeated  more  verses.  He  replied,  and  they 
disputed  together ;  but  they  were  not  able  to  stand  against  his 
learning,  his  arguments,  and  his  enthusiasm,  just  as  he  had  not 
been  able  to  stand  against  Stephen  in  Jerusalem. 

The  congregation  broke  up  in  groups,  and  the  people,  in  cloaks 
of  brown  and  blue,  went  home  to  talk  about  the  strange  thing  that 
had  happened  to  this  young  rabbi ;  and  while  some  believed  him, 
the  most  thought  that  he  deserved  to  be  scourged  at  the  synagogue 
door  and  put  out  of  their  congregation.  But  the  Nazarenes  re- 
joiced over  their  new  champion. 

There  were  several  synagogues  in  Damascus,  so  that  on  week- 
days and  Sundays  he  had  plenty  of  opportunities  for  meeting  his 
countrymen  in  debate.  The  Jewish  opposition  to  him  deepened 
into  hatred,  but  his  determination  to  proclaim  Jesus  as  the 
Christ  did  not  slacken  as  he  went  from  one  dark  and  crowded 
synagogue  to  another. 

For  a  year  or  two  he  lived  in  Damascus  with  the  Nazarenes. 
He  would  not  confine  his  speaking  to  the  city  alone,  but  would 
go  into  the  country  round  about,  preaching  the  new  gospel  of 
Jesus  wherever  he  could  find  men  to  listen.  He  had  triumphed  in 
the  synagogue  battle  of  words,  but  when  his  countrymen  saw  the 
eff*ect  his  preaching  was  having  upon  their  friends,  they  thought 
of  what  they  could  do  to  stop  this  young  man  who  would  not 
keep  silence.  Was  he  to  be  allowed  to  teach  in  peace?  They 
did  not  forget  Paul's  past  life.  They  would  punish  him  as  he  had 
punished  Stephen.  Defeated  in  words,  he  flew  to  scourges  and 
stones.  It  may  be  that  the  synagogue  council  got  a  message 
from  Jerusalem  telling  them  how  to  deal  with  the  young  rabbi 
who  had  deserted  them. 


HIS    FIRST    SPEECH.  153 

Paul  was  now  the  leader  of  the  Damascus  Nazarenes,  and  had 
men  about  him  who  called  themselves  disciples  because  they  be- 
lieved in  his  way  of  living  and  in  what  he  taught.  He  did  not  give 
up  the  manners  and  customs  of  a  Pharisee,  but  he  would  drop 
many  of  the  small  rules  and  traditions  against  which  Jesus  spoke, 
for  his  mind  was  widening  towards  strangers  and  foreigners  who 
had  no  such  rules.  As  he  dropped  them  one  by  one  like  links  of 
a  broken  chain,  each  fresh  act  would  be  an  offence  in  the  eyes  of 
the  synagogue  council,  who  would  call  him  up  before  them  and 
order  him  to  receive  one  of  those  scourgings  of  thirty-nine  stripes 
before  the  door  of  the  synagogue  of  which  he  tells  us  in  his  writ- 
ings. Not  with  sorrow  but  with  joy  he  would  suffer  for  the  first 
time  in  his  body  for  Jesus'  sake. 

They  would  order  him  to  cease  teaching  and  leave  Damascus. 
But  he  did  neither.  In  the  end  he  would  be  expelled  from  the 
synagogue ;  but  that  would  give  him  little  concern,  as  it  was  only 
another  step  in  the  true  way.  What  could  they  do  next  ?  They 
took  counsel  together  and  resolved  to  kill  him.  But  he  had  a 
friend  who  told  him,  and  he  hid  himself.  Alas,  how  soon  had  his 
sins  returned  upon  his  own  head  1  He  had  hunted  others  to  take 
their  life  ;  now,  at  a  little  over  thirty,  his  own  life  was  being 
sought.      But  he  was  not  afraid ;  his  life  was  in  God's  keeping. 

His  enemies  heard  that  he  knew  of  their  plot  and  might  escape, 
and  going  to  the  governor  of  the  city,  they  made  a  criminal  charge 
against  him ;  and  he  ordered  soldiers  to  watch  the  city  gates,  and 
stop  this  criminal  Jew  if  he  tried  to  go  out  by  day  or  night. 

The  city  walls  were  old  and  high,  with  a  moat  round  them,  so 
that  a  man  could  not  drop  over  and  escape  ;  and  as  there  were  only 
four  gates,  his  enemies  believed  that  they  would  soon  have  him. 
How  bitter  must  have  been  his  thoughts  kept  thus  in  hiding  !  But 
Jesus  too  had  been  hunted  out  of  Jerusalem  by  the  priests. 

His  friends  saw  that  he  must  be  got  away  somehow  if  he  was 
to  be  saved.  The  old  walls  were  so  broad  that  houses  were  built 
upon  them  with  windows  looking  over  to  the  fields  and  gardens, 
sometimes  projecting  a  good  way  out.  And  they  had  him  con- 
veyed to  one  of  these  houses  which  belonged  to  a  friend,  and 
when  night  came  on,  fastening  a  rope  to  a  large  basket,  they 
opened  the  window  and  hung  it  out.  Paul  was  not  a  big  man, 
and  quickly  climbed  in,  and  was  lowered  down  to  the  ground.  As 
soon  as  it  touched  the  bottom  he  got  out,  and  the  basket  was  at 
once  pulled  up,  and  without  a  word  of  farewell  the  figure  in  the 
brown  cloak  disappeared  in  the  darkness,  running  away  as  quickly 
as  he  could. 

He  was  free  1     By  lonely  paths,  through  the  scented  gardens, 


154  PETER,    THE    OLD    FISHERMAN. 

the  tangled  vineyards,  and  grassy  fields,  he  hastened  secretly  away 
from  the  city,  and  it  was  some  days  before  his  enemies  heard  that 
he  had  escaped,  and  the  watchers  were  withdrawn  from  the  gates. 
Three  years  before,  he  had  ridden  towards  that  city  of  green 
trees  and  shining  spires,  with  soldiers  behind  him,  a  miserable 
man,  the  representative  of  the  head  of  the  Jewish  Church ;  now 
he  was  running  away  from  it,  a  hunted  Nazarene,  but  with  joy 
glowing  in  his  heart,  for  he  had  found  Jesus  and  the  way  of  life. 


Peter,    the   Old   Fisherman. 

DAMASCUS  :    AGED   30-40. 

WHEN  the  day  dawned  with  a  rose  blush  over  the  limestone 
hills  behind  Damascus,  lighting  up  its  towers  and  pinnacles 
that  glittered  among  the  green  trees,  Paul  was  hastening  on  his 
way  towards  the  black  Lebanon  ravines.  He  had  passed  the  spot 
where,  three  years  ago,  he  saw  the  face  of  Jesus  in  a  vision. 
Around  him  were  green  orchards  and  rich  fields,  watered  by  the 
sparkling  rivulets  of  the  sweet  river,  and  ringing  with  the  song  of 
birds.  Behind  him  and  overhead  the  clouds  were  changing  from 
purple  to  scarlet  and  gold ;  before  him  along  the  black  mountains 
the  grey  mists  of  morning  coiled  and  clung,  as  they  turned  to 
waves  of  drifting  snow.  He  had  come  down  from  these  hills  with 
a  heart  black  with  hatred  and  quaking  with  doubt,  Now  he  re- 
turned a  lonely  traveller  with  iQrown  cloak,  and  staff,  a  satchel 
and  a  bottle  of  water,  but  with  a  clear  mind  and  burning  heart. 

His  courage  was  high.  To  fly  from  violence  and  persecution 
is  not  defeat,  and  he  realized  something  of  the  victory  of  Stephen 
praying  for  his  murderers.  He  was  going  to  Jerusalem,  for  he 
had  a  strong  desire  to  see  Peter,  the  chief  of  the  apostles.  Per- 
haps he  had  disputed  with  the  old  fisherman  in  the  synagogues, 
when  his  heart  was  a  furnace  of  hatred  of  the  Nazarenes. 

He  would  travel  back  by  the  same  road  that  he  had  come, 
skirting  the  foot  of  the  Lebanon  range,  past  Ceesarea  Philippi  and 
the  Lake  of  Gennesaret,  and  into  Galilee.  With  what  changed 
eyes  would  he  look  upon  these  fields,  roads,  hills,  and  glens,  over 
which  the  feet  of  Jesus  passed,  and  these  towns  and  villages  that 
heard  His  loving  voice  !  How  blessed  were  the  men  who  sailed 
with  Him  upon  yonder  blue  lake,  the  women  and  children  who 
gathered  on  the  shore  of  white  shells  to  hear  the  Son  of  God  speak 
of  heaven  and  His  Father !  And  the  country  people  would  look 
in  wonder  at  the  stranger  with  his  traveller's  cloak  and  sandals, 


PETER,    THE    OLD    FISHERMAN.  156 

who  spoke  so  reverently  of  the  young  Prophet  who  no  more  moved 
among  their  villages.  When  he  came  among  Nazarenes  in  the 
villages,  he  would  stay  a  while  and  learn  of  them,  and  he  may 
have  declared  the  gospel  to  them  as  he  had  learned  it  at  Damascus, 
for  we  know  he  proclaimed  it  in  Judea. 

It  would  take  him  some  time  to  reach  Jerusalem,  travelling 
slowly  and  lingering  by  the  way  ;  but  at  last  he  stood  upon  the 
ridge  of  Olivet,  and  the  great  city  lay  before  him,  defended  by  its 
massive  walls,  and  crowned  with  its  white  temple.  He  looked 
with  different  eyes  now  upon  the  courts  where  Jesus  had  spoken 
to  a  deaf  people.  If  he  went  round  the  city  to  the  rocky  spot 
by  the  roadside  where  He  was  crucified,  it  would  be  to  kneel 
and  weep.  And  the  camel-driver  and  the  herdsman,  as  they 
passed,  would  look  and  wonder  who  the  stranger  was  in  the 
brown  cloak  who  knelt  there  with  bowed  head  and  clasped  hands. 
Only  one  more  Nazarene  come  to  weep  and  pray. 

When  he  entered  the  familiar  city,  it  was  not  to  seek  Gamaliel, 
or  the  chief  priest  at  the  temple,  and  tell  him  of  the  Saviour.  He 
knew  where  the  Nazarenes  met,  and  went  to  the  house  of  Mary, 
the  mother  of  Mark,  and  there  he  found  a  man  who  knew  him — 
Barnabas,  Mark's  uncle. 

Like  Paul,  Barnabas  was  a  foreign  Jew ;  for  he  belonged  to 
Cyprus,  an  island  not  far  from  Tarsus.  He  was  well  off  and 
well  educated,  and  had  been  a  temple  Levite  before  he  was  a 
Nazarene,  and  it  is  not  unlikely  that  they  had  met  long  ago  in 
Tarsus.  When  he  heard  Paul's  story  he  believed  him,  and  grasped 
his  hand  as  a  brother.  But  it  was  different  with  the  other  Naza- 
renes. Paul  sought  to  join  their  company  and  mingle  with  them ; 
but  they  were  afraid  of  treachery,  and  distrusted  the  strange  story 
of  his  conversion.  This  was  a  bitter  welcome,  and  yet  in  humility 
of  heart  he  could  not  blame  those  people,  whom  he  had  persecuted, 
if  they  thought  him  a  liar  and  traitor.  He  deserved  it,  and  must 
bear  it. 

But  Barnabas  was  his  warm  friend,  and  took  him  to  the 
apostles,  and  James  the  brother  of  Jesus,  who  was  the  chief  elder 
among  the  Nazarenes;  and  he  told  Paul's  story  to  Peter  and 
James,  and  they  believed  him,  and  welcomed  Paul.  And  when 
Paul  told  Peter  that  he  had  come  to  Jerusalem  to  speak  with  him, 
the  warm-hearted  disciple  opened  his  house  to  the  younger  man 
and  took  him  in,  as  he  had  taken  in  Jesus  to  his  home  at  the  lake 
side.  He  who  had  sat  for  years  at  the  feet  of  Gamaliel,  the  doctor 
of  law,  hearing  the  wisdom  of  men,  was  now  to  sit  at  the  feet  of 
Peter  the  fisherman,  and  learn  in  a  few  days  the  truths  of  God 
from  one  who  had  walked  with  Jesus. 


156  PETER,    THE    OLD    FISHERMAN. 

It  would  not  be  sitting  in  a  small,  dark  room,  or  walking 
among  the  coloured  marble  pillars  of  the  porches  of  the  golden 
temple,  that  Paul  would  hear  from  Peter's  lips  the  priceless  story, 
afterwards  written  by  Mark,  of  three  years  spent  with  Him  who 
was  without  sin,  and  who  spoke  as  never  man  spoke.  Here,  in 
this  garden,  by  moonlight,  this  olive  garden  of  sorrowful  memories, 
the  old  disciple  would  show  the  place  where  he  slept,  while  Jesus, 
fallen  on  His  face,  prayed  yonder !  Here,  on  the  rocky  side  of 
Olivet,  in  the  crimson  shades  of  evening.  He  sat  with  us,  looking 
down  on  the  vast  city,  its  towers  and  palaces.  And  here,  on  this 
narrow,  stony  path,  we  spread  our  cloaks  that  He  might  ride  over 
them,  the  Prince  of  Peace,  on  His  way  to  the  temple.  Here,  in 
this  vine-clad  cottage  of  Bethany,  the  village  of  figs.  He  lived  day 
after  day  with  Martha  and  Mary,  going  out  and  coming  in  by  that 
low  door.  Would  Paul  go  in  1  At  yonder  steep  and  narrow  part  of 
the  street  of  Jerusalem  He  stumbled  and  sank,  while  the  women 
screamed  in  horror  from  these  housetops.  On  this  rising  ground 
stood  the  cross,  in  the  brazen  heat  of  that  morning  six  years 
ago  ;  and  there  stood  Mary,  and  there  stood  we.  Here  in  Joseph's 
garden  is  the  tomb  where  we  laid  Him,  and  there  is  the  low 
doorway,  overhung  with  wild  roses,  and  there  the  stone  that  was 
rolled  away,  and  down  this  path  moved  the  feet  of  the  risen  One. 

And  Paul  would  hear  from  Peter  how,  while  he  was  a  fisher- 
man on  the  lake,  he  first  saw  the  young  Carpenter  of  Nazareth,  and 
could  perhaps  remember  Him  as  a  boy  and  youth  in  the  streets  of 
Capernaum,  and  of  the  day  when  he  saw  His  white  figure  stand- 
ing on  the  shore,  and  heard  His  voice  calling  to  him  over  the 
water  to  leave  boat  and  nets  and  come,  follow  Him.  And  Paul 
would  say  that  he  too  had  heard  the  voice  of  Jesus  calling,  and 
would  ask  the  old  disciple  to  begin  at  that  first  day  and  tell  him 
all  he  could  remember  of  Jesus,  until  the  last,  leaving  nothing  out. 
And  day  after  day  would  pass  as  Peter  drew  for  the  future  apostle 
the  picture  of  the  breathing,  living  Jesus — dead,  alas  !  six  years 
ago — as  he  saw  Him  walking  about  in  Galilee,  and  repeated 
His  sayings  as  he  heard  them.  And  before  he  was  done  Paul 
would  feel  as  confident  of  his  knowledge  of  Jesus  as  if  he  had 
seen  Him  with  his  eyes  and  heard  Him  with  his  ears,  and  would 
tell  the  disciple  of  the  command  laid  upon  them  all  to  spread  the 
new  gospel  far  beyond  the  Jews  and  Palestine. 

Paul  was  a  scholar  who  knew  the  value  of  writing,  and  he 
would  ask  many  questions,  and,  we  cannot  doubt,  would  write 
down  many  pages  of  the  sayings  of  Jesus,  of  which  he  wished  to 
keep  the  exact  words.  Nor  need  we  doubt  that  those  days  of 
Peter's  contact  with  Paul's  wider  mind  had  their  influence  upon 


THE  BROTHER  OF  JESUS.  157 

the  old  disciple,  who  in  later  years  showed  a  broader  and  more 
active  sympathy  with  Paul's  work  than  any  of  the  other  apostles. 
And  thus  from  the  rugged  fisherman  with  the  silver  hair,  who 
in  his  day  had  cheered  his  young  Master,  sheltering  Him  in  his 
home  or  saiHng  Him  in  his  boat,  and  had  fearlessly  spoken  of 
Him  after  His  death,  Paul  heard  the  story  of  that  perfect  life, 
until  he  felt  His  Spirit  strong  within  him  that  would  lead  him 
into  all  truth. 


The   Brother  of  Jesus. 

JERUSALEM:    AGED    40-50. 

JAMES,  the  brother  of  Jesus,  was  very  different  from  Peter, 
and  in  some  things  the  opposite  of  Paul.  He  was  not  a 
disciple  or  apostle,  for  Jesus  did  not  choose  him  when  upon  the 
thymy  hill  of  Hattin  He  chose  His  twelve  disciples.  It  is  said 
that  James  was  not  a  believer  in  Jesus  until  after  His  death. 
Nor  did  the  apostles  choose  him  to  fill  the  place  of  the  dead 
Judas ;  but  now  he  was  looked  upon  as  a  man  of  great  import- 
ance, chief  of  the  elders,  and  head  of  the  Jerusalem  Nazarenes. 

He  belonged  to  a  peculiar  sect  called  Nazarites — a  sect  that 
had  existed  since  before  the  days  of  Moses.  By  their  strict  rules 
he  was  not  allowed  to  take  wine  or  even  grapes,  or  to  eat  flesh, 
and  he  never  cut  or  oiled  his  hair,  or  bathed  himself,  and  his 
dress  was  of  white  linen.  He  was  a  believer  in  the  Law  and  the 
Traditions,  and  went  every  day  to  the  temple  to  pray,  where  he 
knelt  upon  the  smooth  pavements  until  his  knees  were  hard  with 
kneeling ;  and  it  is  said  that  he  was  called  "  James  the  Just,"  and 
was  allowed  the  privileges  of  a  priest  in  the  temple. 

Paul  would  look  with  hungry  eyes  into  this  man's  face — the 
living  brother  of  Jesus — but  he  would  not  be  attracted  by  his  de- 
votion to  the  Law  and  the  Traditions,  of  which  he  knew  so  much. 
And  if  he  spoke  to  him  about  the  foolish  network  of  little  rules 
which  Jesus  condemned,  we  can  imagine  that  James  would  shrink 
back  from  this  bold  and  dangerous  stranger  who  wished  to  set  aside 
things  holy  and  sacred.  If  James  was  late  in  coming  to  the  truth 
about  Jesus,  he  was  also  slow  in  understanding  the  glorious  liberty 
of  the  new  gospel,  Paul  saw  that  this  temple  devotee  had  not  yet 
got  the  whole  spirit  of  Jesus,  and  it  appears  as  if  their  first  im- 
pressions of  each  other  were  not  favourable. 

There  were  many  Jewish  Nazarenes  in  the  city  who  believed 
that  Jesus  came  to  fulfil  the  Jewish  religious  law,  and  James  was 


158  THE   BROTHER   OF   JESUS. 

of  that  party.  Paul  believed  that  Jesus  set  aside  much  of  the 
Law  and  all  the  Traditions.  They  believed  that  the  new  religion 
was  for  Jews  only ;  Paul  believed  it  was  for  all  mankind.  These 
two  divisions  became  known  as  the  circumcision  and  the  uncir- 
cumcision,  and  their  differences  grew  as  years  passed,  until  there 
arose  a  bitter  quarrel  fomented  by  false  Christians,  in  which 
Paul  triumphed,  as  his  teaching  was  that  Jesus  was  the  Saviour 
of  the  world,  and  not  of  Jews  only. 

Although  he  fled  from  Damascus,  he  was  no  coward.  His 
danger  in  Jerusalem  was  great,  but  he  did  not  hide  himself. 
Following  the  example  of  Stephen,  he  went  to  the  synagogues  of 
the  foreign  Jews,  and  openly  declared  that  he  was  a  Nazarene. 
If  his  address  in  Damascus  astonished  his  hearers,  his  first  ad- 
dress in  a  Jerusalem  synagogue  would  create  greater  surprise; 
for  there  he  was  well  known  as  a  cruel  persecutor  of  the  sect  he 
had  joined. 

With  boldness  and  skill,  in  the  very  synagogues  of  Jews  from 
Cilicia,  E-ome,  Africa,  Egypt,  where  he  had  opposed  Stephen,  he 
declared  that  Jesus,  who  was  crucified  in  Jerusalem  six  years 
before,  was  the  Christ,  and  he  proved  it  like  a  rabbi  by  passages 
from  the  Bible.  He  was  answered  at  once  by  men  as  skilful  in 
debate  as  himself,  who  called  Jesus  a  Galilean  impostor  who 
deserved  death.  The  dispute  was  hotter  and  fiercer  than  at 
Damascus ;  for  his  opponents  would  fling  Paul's  own  words  and 
actions  in  his  face,  and  call  him  renegade,  hypocrite,  blasphemer, 
liar.  He  was  among  the  most  learned  men  of  the  Jewish  nation ; 
but  he  was  not  afraid,  and  could  retort  on  them  with  bitter  irony, 
biting  sarcasm,  and  cutting  truth,  from  what  he  knew  of  them  as 
a  young  rabbi. 

The  struggle  was  short  and  sharp.  They  began  to  say  to  each 
other  with  a  sneer,  "This  is  the  man  who  used  to  persecute  the 
Nazarenes,  and  now  he  preaches  the  faith  of  which  he  once  made 
havoc."  This  was  the  hardest  blow  of  all;  but  he  deserved  it, 
and  admitted  his  wickedness,  and  confessed  the  change  that  had 
come  over  him. 

He  had  now  raised  up  many  enemies  amongst  his  old  friends 
and  companions,  and  they  consulted  as  to  what  should  be  done 
with  this  renegade  from  the  national  religion.  Serve  him  as  he 
served  Stephen !  He  was  worse  than  Stephen  !  Trained  as  a 
rabbi,  he  ought  to  have  spoken  as  he  was  taught,  and  not  this 
new  gospel ;  but  he  had  turned  all  his  skill  and  knowledge  to 
defend  Jesus  as  the  Christ,  and  to  expose  them.  Since  he  would 
not  cease  his  attacks  and  would  not  be  silenced  with  words,  they 
would  silence  him  with  stones,  in  the  old  Jewish  way. 


SAILING   TO    TAESUS.  159 

But  he  had  fellow-students  amongst  his  enemies,  and  some 
one  warned  him.  He  must  leave  the  city  at  once,  and  he  was 
ready.  He  had  proclaimed  Jesus  in  Jerusalem  with  all  his  might, 
and  they  would  not  listen.  He  would  go  to  strange  towns,  and 
great  plans  were  forming  in  his  mind  that  stretched  far  beyond 
Palestine.  Had  not  Jesus  said,  "Go  into  all  the  world,  and 
preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature  "  1 

Just  fifteen  days  after  he  had  entered  the  city  of  the  golden 
temple  alone,  he  was  taken  out  of  it  by  his  friends — most  likely 
disguised,  so  that  he  should  not  be  stopped.  He  was  going  away 
back  to  Tarsus,  the  home  of  his  childhood,  the  bearer  of  glad  tid- 
ings of  great  joy. 

And  thus,  with  disappointed  hopes,  he  left  the  city  of  his 
youthful  dreams,  rejected  by  his  old  friends  and  companions,  and 
coldly  received  by  many  of  his  new  friends,  but  not  by  all.  Barna- 
bas, and  Peter,  and  Mark  were  there  ! 


Sailing    to    Tarsus. 

JEEUSALEM  :    AGED  40-50. 

1EAYING  the  city  by  the  Damascus  gate,  Paul  and  his  friends 
->  would  keep  along  the  paved  Roman  road,  so  often  trod 
by  armed  soldiers,  that  went  through  the  bare  hills  of  Judea, 
towards  Csesarea  by  the  sea-coast,  sixty  miles  distant.  It  was 
one  of  the  best-known  roads  in  the  country,  for  merchants  were 
continually  coming  and  going  upon  it,  between  the  sea  and  the 
great  Jewish  capital.  Passing  through  the  stony  plain  of  Bethel, 
they  traversed  beautiful  Samaria,  and  descended  through  a  hot 
valley,  and  crossed  the  rich  plain  of  Sharon,  towards  the  seaport 
where  Paul  was  to  wait  for  a  ship.  They  would  talk  on  the  way 
about  what  he  was  going  to  do.  One  thing  was  clear — he  must 
keep  away  from  Jerusalem. 

They  were  soon  close  to  the  walls  of  Csesarea,  the  Poman 
capital  of  Palestine,  with  its  splendid  marble  buildings,  the  work 
of  King  Herod.  There  was  the  huge  stone  breakwater  jutting 
out  a  black  angle  into  the  blue  sea,  to  shelter  the  ships  from 
south-west  storms ;  and  there,  high  above  the  town,  was  the  marble 
temple  of  Augustus,  also  the  work  of  Herod  the  Jew,  with  the 
statue  of  the  emperor  glittering  upon  the  top,  that  could  be  seen 
by  sailors  far  out  at  sea. 

Paul  the  tentmaker  was  at  home  in  a  seaport,  and  he  had 
often  been  in  Csesarea  when  coming  and  going  as  a  student  from 


160  SAILING   TO   TARSUS. 

Tarsus.  In  his  brown  cloak,  with  a  striped  kerchief  pulled  for- 
ward to  hide  his  face  from  passing  eyes,  he  walked  in  the  sun- 
shine round  the  double  harbour,  and  out  on  the  breakwater 
ending  in  high  towers,  to  look  at  the  foreign  ships  crowded 
there,  with  white  eyes  painted  on  their  bows.  In  the  heat  of  the 
day  he  would  seek  the  shady  colonnade  of  pillars,  where  he  could 
sit  and  look  out  upon  the  blue  expanse  of  tossing  waves,  watching 
for  the  yellow  sail  of  a  ship  that  would  bear  him  home  to  Tarsus. 

How  changed  from  the  days  when  he  was,  powerful  and  ter- 
rible, the  friend  of  the  high  priest !  Now  he  was  a  fugitive,  let 
out  of  Damascus  in  a  basket,  driven  from  Jerusalem,  having 
few  friends,  and  none  wishing  him  to  stay,  with  cloak  and 
staff,  wallet  and  leather  bottle,  looking  out  for  a  ship  to  carry 
him  away,  that  he  might  begin  afresh.  His  strong  heart  would 
be  far  from  cheerful  as  he  looked  out  on  the  water,  for  he  had 
keen  feelings. 

He  would  not  have  to  wait  many  days.  Trading  ships 
laden  with  corn  from  Egypt  often  touched  at  Csesarea  on  their 
way  to  Tarsus.  And  when  his  ship  came  at  last,  his  friends 
would  pay  his  passage;  the  large,  square  sail  would  again  be 
hoisted  on  the  single  mast ;  and  standing  upon  the  high  stern, 
beside  the  steersman  with  the  large  oar,  Paul  would  hold  up  his 
hands,  bidding  farewell  to  Barnabas  and  his  friends  on  the  quay, 
as  the  ship  with  the  large  white  eye  slowly  passed  out  into  the 
open  water. 

There  were  three  hundred  miles  of  sea  between  him  and 
Tarsus.  For  two  weeks  he  would  have  the  blue  mountains  of  the 
coast  of  Palestine  on  one  side,  and  the  sea  on  the  other ;  and  every 
morning  the  rising  sun  fringed  these  mountains  with  scarlet  fire, 
and  every  evening  the  sunset  flamed  upon  the  sea.  As  they 
passed  the  island  of  Cyprus,  they  saw  the  mountains  of  Antioch 
towering  upon  the  mainland,  and  the  sailors  looked  out  for  a 
blue  line  ahead — the  coast  of  Cilicia. 

When  the  ship  entered  the  mouth  of  the  familiar  river  Cydnus, 
the  huge  striped  sail  would  come  rattling  down,  and  the  oars  be 
thrust  out  to  row  them  ten  miles  up  against  the  stream.  He 
would  know  some  faces  among  the  brightly-dressed  men  when 
he  landed  to  walk  up  the  narrow  street  towards  the  city.  And 
there  would  be  friends  to  kiss  him  on  each  cheek  and  weep  with 
joy  when  he  entered  the  house ;  but  we  do  not  know  whether  his 
dear  mother  was  still  alive  to  throw  her  arms  round  his  neck. 

He  told  them  that  he  was  a  Nazarene  and  a  teacher  of  the 
new  way  of  Jesus.  No  doubt  they  had  heard  of  this  before,  for 
pedlars,  merchants,  and  dealers  were  the  news-carriers  about  the 


SAILING   to'  tarsus.  161 

country ;  but  now  they  heard  it  from  his  own  lips,  and  some 
were  pleased  and  many  angry.  When  last  at  home  he  was  a 
learned  scholar  of  Jerusalem  who  might  soon  be  a  rabbi.  They 
had  heard  of  his  being  a  member  of  the  Sanhedrim  and  a  per- 
secutor of  the  Nazarenes.     It  was  strange. 

Much  had  happened  during  his  years  of  absence,  and  his  first 
address  as  a  Nazarene,  in  the  little  synagogue  in  which  he  sat 
as  a  boy,  would  raise  cries  of  wonder  and  annoyance  from  his 
friends,  as  he  told  once  more  the  story  of  his  heavenly  vision  and 
the  great  change.  And  while  we  are  not  told  that  his  friends 
were  bitter  against  him  as  he  preached  to  them  the  gospel  of  the 
way  of  Jesus,  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  the  men  of  his  syna- 
gogue would  oppose  him  to  the  best  of  their  power,  but  they  could 
not  stop  him.  We  do  not  know  what  he  said,  but  this  is  what 
he  afterwards  wrote  in  his  letters  : — 

"Brother  Jews,  I  would  not  have  you  ignorant  that  our 
fathers  were  all  under  a  cloud,  and  yet  they  drank  of  the  spirit  of 
the  Christ.  But  with  most  of  them  God  was  displeased,  and  they 
were  overthrown  in  the  wdlderness.  Now  that  is  an  example  to 
us,  that  we  should  not  desire  bad  things,  nor  worship  idols,  as 
they  did.  For  it  is  written  in  Exodus  that  the  people  sat  down 
to  eat  and  drink,  and  rose  up  to  play.  Neither  let  us  be  unfaith- 
ful, as  some  of  them  were,  when  twenty-three  thousand  died  in 
one  day.  Neither  let  us  tempt  God,  as  some  of  them  did,  and 
died  by  serpents.  Neither  let  us  rebel  against  Him,  as  they  did, 
and  were  destroyed.  These  things  also  are  examples  to  us,  and 
were  written  for  our  guidance,  to  whom  has  come  down  the 
wisdom  of  the  ages.  Therefore,  whoever  thinks  he  stands  sure, 
let  him  take  care  lest  he  fall.  No  temptation  comes  but  such 
as  you  can  bear  :  for  God  is  faithful,  and  will  not  let  you  be 
tempted  more  than  you  are  able  to  resist,  but  will  with  the 
temptation  make  also  a  way  of  escape." 

"  I  give  thanks  to  Jesus  the  Christ,  our  Lord,  who  has  counted 
me  faithful,  and  appointed  me  to  His  service ;  although  I  was  one 
who  miscalled  His  name,  and  persecuted  and  injured  His  followers  : 
but  I  have  received  mercy,  because  I  did  it  in  ignorance  and 
unbelief.  His  favour  is  exceeding  great  with  faith  and  love 
which  is  in  Him.  It  is  a  true  saying,  and  worthy  to  be  ac- 
cepted by  every  one,  that  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save 
sinful  men,  of  whom  I  am  the  chief.  But  I  got  mercy,  that  in  me, 
a  chief  sinner.  He  might  show  His  kindness,  as  an  example  to  all 
who  should  hereafter  believe  on  Him  unto  eternal  life.  Now  to 
the  King  of  the  ages,  pure,  invisible,  and  who  cannot  change,  the 
only  God,  be  honour  and  glory  for  evermore." 

a,040)  11 


162  TENTMAKING   AT   HOME. 

Tentmaking:  at   Home. 

TARSUS  :    AGED  40-50. 

IT  is  not  unlikely  that  he  would  be  called  before  the  synagogue 
council  of  elderly  Jews — men  who  knew  him  well,  who  would 
admonish  him,  as  his  friends,  to  cease  speaking  in  a  way  contrary 
to  the  rules  of  the  rabbis,  with  which  he  was  familiar  ;  and  on  his 
refusing  to  do  so,  they  would  solemnly  expel  him  from  their  con- 
gregation, and  tell  him  that  he  was  now  worse  than  a  foreigner, 
for  he  was  an  outcast  and  a  renegade.  And  it  is  not  unlikely 
that  he  would  also  suffer  one  of  the  whippings  at  their  synagogue 
door,  of  which  he  tells  us  in  his  letters ;  and  he  would  glory  in  it, 
although  his  friends  would  not. 

On  week-days  he  would  be  found  again  in  a  workshop,  per- 
haps his  father's  shed,  weaving,  sewing,  and  making  tents ;  but 
whereas  his  time  used  to  be  spent  in  the  dreary  task  of  learning 
off  the  Law  and  the  Traditions,  now  he  would  sit  with  a  group  of 
listeners,  in  kerchiefs  and  coloured  tunics,  sitting  cross-legged  on 
the  floor  of  the  workshop,  while  he  stitched  the  haircloth  and  told 
them  of  the  Christ  and  the  Nazarenes.  Not  as  a  rabbi,  on  a 
crimson  mat,  among  the  marble  pillars  of  the  temple,  was  he  to 
teach  his  fellow-men,  but  amid  the  looms,  ropes,  poles,  leather, 
and  haircloth  of  a  tentmaker's  shed.  If  any  one  questioned  what 
he  said  in  the  synagogue,  the  workshop,  wharf,  market,  or  street, 
he  gave  him  passage  after  passage  from  the  Bible,  as  only  a  rabbi 
could,  in  proof  that  Jesus  was  the  Christ.  And  as  in  Damascus, 
so  in  his  own  city  he  soon  had  followers  who  called  themselves  his 
disciples.  For  wherever  he  went,  he  was  now  a  bearer  of  glad 
tidings  of  great  joy. 

In  Tarsus  he  was  beyond  the  shadow  of  the  temple  and  the 
Sanhedrim,  and  he  worked  there  for  years.  He  did  not  confine 
himself  to  the  synagogue  or  the  city,  but  preached  the  new 
gospel  in  the  province  of  Cilicia,  and  also  in  the  next  province  of 
Syria,  beyond  the  Amanus  mountains. 

This  country  of  shepherds'  tents  and  camel-paths  was  all 
familiar  to  him,  for  he  had  often  travelled  over  it,  and  knew  the 
woods  and  valleys,  the  marshes,  bridges,  and  fords,  the  passes 
through  the  hills,  the  villages  and  towns  ;  for  he  used  to  buy  goats' 
hair  and  sell  his  cloth  and  tents  there,  as  he  had  now  to  do  again. 
The  people  who  knew  him  as  the  red-cheeked  boy  driving  his 
father's  asses  would  be  surprised  to  find  him  a  young  man  and  a 
Nazarene,  who,  with  glowing  words  and  flashing  eyes,  ])rocl aimed 
to  them  a  new  gospel   of  Jesus   the  Christ,  a  carpenter  in  the 


THE    emperor's    BRASS    IMAGE.  163 

far-off  village  of  Nazareth  in  Galilee,  who  had  "been  crucified  at 
Jerusalem  not  tfn  years  ago.  We  do  not  know  what  he  said  on 
these  long  wanderings,  and  in  these  small,  dark  synagogues,  but 
this  is  part  of  what  he  afterwards  wrote  in  a  letter  : — 

"Seeing  I  have  this  ministry,  and  have  obtained  mercy,  I 
faint  not;  having  given  up  the  hidden  things  of  shame,  I  do 
not  live  by  using  the  words  of  God  deceitfully  ;  but  by  showing 
forth  the  truth  that  touches  every  man's  conscience  in  the  sight 
of  God.  If  the  good  tidings  are  not  recognized,  it  is  by  them  who 
are  perishing,  whose  unbelieving  minds  are  blinded  by  the  world, 
that  the  light  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus,  who  is  the  image  of  God, 
should  not  dawn  upon  them.  I  do  not  preach  myself,  but  Jesus 
the  Christ  as  Lord,  and  I  as  your  slave  for  His  sake.  God  said. 
Light  shall  shine  out  of  darkness ;  and  the  light  has  shined  in 
upon  our  hearts,  to  give  us  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  the  Christ." 

Into  whatever  town  or  village  he  went,  in  his  brown  cloak, 
riding  upon  an  ass,  with  his  panniers  stuffed  with  haircloth,  he 
sought  out  his  countrymen,  and  in  their  synagogue  proclaimed  the 
glad  tidings  that  the  Christ  had  come,  calling  upon  them  to  seek 
righteousness  in  Him,  and  not  in  blind  obedience  to  the  dead  Law 
and  Traditions. 

In  his  journeys  to  and  fro,  by  hill  and  hollow,  he  encouraged 
the  Kazarenes  everywhere  to  hold  meetings  and  worship  together, 
after  the  manner  of  the  Nazarene  of  Jerusalem,  and  to  spread 
the  new  gospel  from  man  to  man  and  house  to  house.  And  thus 
in  his  own  province  he  began  the  work  of  his  life,  forming  con- 
gregations of  Nazarenes,  and  instructing  them  to  meet,  worship, 
and  break  bread  together,  as  Jesus  did  with  His  disciples. 

It  is  thought  that  he  spent  about  seven  years  thus,  spreading 
the  new  gospel  in  the  provinces  around  his  native  city ;  a  period 
of  which  we  have  little  record,  for  it  was  not  until  sixteen  years 
later  that  he  met  Luke,  who  wrote  down  the  story  of  his  travels 
and  sayings.  And  while  he  was  thus  engaged,  there  were  things 
happening  in  Palestine  that  were  broadening  the  minds  of  the 
apostles  and  widening  their  horizon. 


The   Emperor's   Brass   Image, 

TARSUS  :    AGED   40-50. 

DURING   the   years    that   Paul,  in    cloak    and   sandals,  was 
spreading    the   light    of    the   gospel   of    Jesus    throughout 


164  THE  emperor's  brass  image. 

Tarsus,  Oilicia,  and  Syria,  the  Roman  soldiers,  with  sword  and 
buckler,  were  extending  their  empire  beyond  the  Rhine  and 
Danube,  and  over  Germany.  Their  brass-helmeted  men  were 
landing  again  on  Britain's  soil,  to  make  more  sure  and  firm  the 
grip  which  they  had  on  our  country. 

In  Rome,  the  young  emperor  Caligula,  nicknamed  "Little 
Boots,"  had  gone  mad,  after  being  raised  above  all  men,  and 
he  ordered  that  images  of  himself  were  to  be  worshipped  in  every 
temple  in  the  empire.  The  Jews  alone  refused.  No  image  had 
ever  been  worshipped  in  their  golden  temple.  Other  Roman 
emperors  had  respected  their  feelings ;  but  Caligula  flew  into  a 
passion,  and  ordered  Petronius,  the  Roman  governor  of  Syria,  to 
have  a  large  brass  image  of  him  cast  at  Sidon,  and  put  into 
the  Jews'  temple  by  the  blades  of  his  soldiers.  Petronius  hated 
the  task,  and  telling  the  brassfounders  not  to  hurry,  landed  his 
soldiers  under  the  headland  of  Carmel,  and  marched  them  slowly 
through  Galilee  towards  the  Lake  of  Gennesaret. 

The  Jews  flocked  to  him  at  Tiberias,  crying  unceasingly 
against  the  emperor's  orders,  and  saying  that  his  image  would 
only  enter  the  temple  over  their  dead  bodies.  Time  slipped  past, 
and  word  came  from  the  young  emperor  that  if  Petronius  did  not 
make  haste  he  would  cut  his  head  oflf ;  which  was  no  mere  threat, 
as  the  vile  young  man  in  purple  had  cut  off  hundreds  of  heads. 
Three  years  had  gone  by  in  preparations,  and  a  frightful  slaughter 
was  about  to  fall  on  Jerusalem,  when  news  came  that  the  miser- 
able emperor  was  dead,  killed  by  his  own  guards ;  and  Petronius 
withdrew  his  soldiers,  and  no  more  was  heard  of  the  brass  image. 
And  while  the  hand  of  Caligula  was  thus  threatening  their 
temple,  the  priests  ceased  to  persecute  the  Nazarenes  of  Judea, 
Samaria,  and  Galilee,  who  increased  greatly  in  numbers. 

Peter  also,  like  Paul,  left  Jerusalem  to  preach  the  new  gospel; 
and  we  hear  of  him  at  Lydda,  by  the  sea-coast,  where  many  be- 
came Nazarenes,  and  also  at  Joppa.  Jesus  had  set  aside  the  rules 
of  the  rabbis  against  eating  certain  kinds  of  meats,  and  against 
strangers  and  foreigners.  Philip  and  Paul  broke  them,  but  Peter 
could  not  make  up  his  mind  to  do  so.  'He  had  a  vision — perhaps 
it  was  a  dream — in  which  he  thought  God  told  him  that  he  might 
eat  any  kind  of  food,  and  he  was  perplexed.  Then  came  a  request 
from  Cornelius,  a  Roman  officer  of  Italian  family,  to  come  to 
Csesarea  and  see  him  ;  and  he  went,  taking  friends  with  him.  The 
officer  gathered  his  friends  to  meet  him,  and  Peter  told  him  that 
it  was  against  the  religious  law  of  his  people  for  him  to  enter  a 
foreigner's  house ;  but  God  had  shown  him  that  this  was  wrong, 
and  he  went  in,  for  he  now  believed  that  all  men  were  alike  before 


BARNABAS    THE    LEVITE.  166 

God,  whether  Jews  or  strangers.  He  spoke  to  them  of  Jesus  and 
God,  saying,  "I  see  that  God  is  no  respecter  of  persons,  and  that 
in  every  nation  whoever  fears  God  and  does  right  is  accepted  of 
Him."    And  Cornelius  and  his  family  were  baptized  as  Nazarenes. 

News  of  this  reached  Jerusalem,  and  greatly  displeased  some 
of  the  Nazarenes,  who  said  that  no  man  could  join  them  until  he 
had  first  received  the  mark  of  a  Jew  and  come  under  the  Jewish 
law.  When  Peter  returned  they  attacked  him,  saying  that  he 
had  broken  the  laws  of  Moses  by  going  into  Cornelius's  house  and 
eating  food  with  men  who  had  never  been  circumcised — a  mark 
made  on  every  Jewish  infant,  and  on  every  foreigner  who  joined 
the  Jewish  religion — an  unchangeable  mark.  No  man  could  be  a 
member  of  the  Jewish  Church  without  it ;  and  to  call  a  Jew  un- 
circumcised  was  an  insult  equal  to  saying  that  he  did  not  believe 
in  God. 

Peter  told  the  story  of  his  vision,  and  defended  himself  so 
M'ell  that  the  Nazarenes  who  thought  he  had  done  wrong  held 
their  peace,  and  they  of  a  more  liberal  mind  rejoiced  when  they 
thought  that  the  religion  of  Jesus  was  for  strangers  also.  And 
thus  we  see  how  little  these  Nazarenes  of  Jerusalem  yet  under- 
stood the  glorious  teaching  of  Jesus  when  it  went  against  what 
they  had  learned  as  children.  These  were  the  parties  of  circum- 
cision and  uncircumcision — a  difference  which  seems  very  small 
and  foolish  to  us,  who  live  in  the  liberty  for  which  Paul  fought ; 
but  this  distinction  was  to  be  one  of  the  chief  sorrows  and  diffi- 
culties of  his  life's  work.  And  so,  while  the  Nazarenes  of  Jeru- 
salem were  debating  hotly  as  to  whether  the  gospel  of  Jesus  should 
be  spread  among  foreigners,  Paul  was  already  spreading  it. 


Barnabas  the   Levite. 

TARSUS  :    AGED   40-50. 

WHETHER  the  crops  were  waving  golden  in  the  plain  of 
Cilicia,  or  the  Taurus  mountains  were  white  with  snow, 
summer  and  winter  Paul  went  about  teaching  in  the  two  large 
provinces.  During  these  years  he  did  not  keep  up  intercourse  with 
the  Nazarenes  in  Jerusalem,  and  they  let  him  pass  out  of  sight. 
What  he  said  about  the  Law  and  the  Traditions,  and  about 
admitting  strangers  and  foreigners  into  the  sect,  had  displeased 
many  there,  who  regarded  him  as  a  dangerous  reformer;  but 
Peter  and  Barnabas  understood  hiui  better,  and  shared  his  views. 
Many  of  the  Nazarenes  who  fled  out  of  Jerusalem  did  not 


166  BARNABAS   THE   LEVITE. 

rest  in  Palestine,  but  went  out  of  the  country.  Some  went  over 
the  hills  of  Galilee  into  the  land  of  Phoenicia,  others  travelled 
to  Damascus,  while  others  continued  on  till  they  reached  Antioch, 
the  splendid  capital  of  Syria,  three  hundred  miles  from  Jerusalem. 
These  could  go  by  land,  but  others  went  by  sea,  taking  ships  from 
Csesarea  to  Cyprus  and  other  islands.  Wherever  they  went  they 
found  Jews  and  synagogues,  and  keeping  to  the  rules  of  their  old 
church,  these  Jews  of  Jerusalem  would  not  preach  the  gospel  of 
Jesus  to  any  but  Jews. 

Foreign  Jews  who  had  become  Nazarenes  were  of  a  more 
liberal  mind,  and  some  of  them,  born  in  the  Greek  town  of  Gyrene, 
on  the  African  coast,  and  in  Cyprus,  had  come  to  live  in  Antioch. 
Many  Jews  were  there,  for  a  king  had  got  them  to  come  by  giving 
them  equal  rights  with  Greeks.  And  these  Nazarenes  of  Cyprus 
and  Cyrene  preached  the  gospel  of  Jesus  to  the  Jews  in  their 
synagogue,  and  to  the  people  of  the  city,  and  many  who  were  not 
Jews  joined  the  Nazarenes.  This  gave  offence  to  the  strict  Jew 
Nazarenes,  who  thought  that  salvation  was  for  Jews  only,  and 
they  sent  word  to  the  apostles  at  Jerusalem,  who  sent  the  broad- 
minded,  kind-hearted  Barnabas  to  inquire. 

He  listened  to  the  narrow-minded  Palestine  Jews,  and  to  the 
broad-minded  Greek  Jews  from  his  own  Cyprus,  and  saw  the 
crowd  of  foreigners  who  had  given  up  their  idols  and  turned  to 
the  living  God  through  Jesus,  and  he  rejoiced.  When  he  ad- 
dressed them,  as  a  messenger  from  the  apostles,  he  found  no 
fault,  but  went  right  to  the  heart  of  the  matter.  Keferring  to 
their  changed  lives,  he  urged  the  converts,  in  few  and  simple 
words,  to  carry  out  their  good  resolutions  and  hold  fast  to  Jesus. 
His  words,  spoken  in  the  spirit  of  Jesus,  delighted  them,  and 
caused  more  foreigners  to  join;  but  they  did  not  please  the 
stricter  Jews,  who  said  it  was  wicked  that  foreigners  should  be 
admitted  into  the  religion  of  a  Jewish  sect  without  circumcision. 

Barnabas  saw  that  a  great  work  could  be  done  amongst  the 
people  of  that  city  of  battlements,  and  he  needed  help.  Who 
could  help  him  1  Not  the  men  in  Jerusalem  who  sent  him.  The 
thoughts  of  the  Jew  of  Cyprus  turned  back  to  the  Jew  of  Tarsus 
who  came  to  Jerusalem  so  many  years  ago  on  fire  with  a  vision 
and  a  command  from  God  to  preach  to  foreigners,  and  who  had 
been  received  coldly,  and  advised  to  leave  Palestine  and  go  home. 
He  had  gone  to  Tarsus,  no  doubt  to  preach.  Here  were  foreigners 
thirsting  for  the  gospel.  If  Paul  were  but  here  in  Antioch,  with 
his  flashing  eyes  and  burning  speech  he  could  do  much  good. 
Barnabas  would  tell  his  friends  of  this  wonderful  man,  and  that 
he  would  go  and  search  till  he  found  him,  and  bring  him. 


THE    CITY    OF    BATTLEMENTS.  16? 

From  the  walls  of  Antioch,  on  a  clear  day,  the  mountains 
behind  Tarsus  can  be  seen,  faint  and  blue,  over  the  sea.  Riding 
down  the  sixteen  miles  of  well-made  road  to  the  port  of  Seleucia, 
Barnabas  got  a  boat,  and  a  long  day  of  sailing  across  the  Gulf  of 
Scanderoon  would  bring  him  into  the  river  Cydnus  before  it  was 
dark — wondering,  as  the  boat  heaved  under  him,  whether  he  would 
find  his  friend  in  Tarsus. 

He  knew  the  city ;  but  Paul  may  have  been  on  a  journey, 
for  he  did  not  find  him  at  once.  But  he  sought  till  he  found  the 
man  in  the  brown  cloak  ;  and  they  would  embrace  in  grave  silence, 
for  they  were  friends,  and  had  not  seen  each  other  for  seven  years. 
Paul  would  be  surprised  that  Barnabas  had  come  for  him.  Then 
he  would  hear  of  his  friend's  visit  to  Antioch,  of  what  he  had 
found,  and  that  there  was  a  great  work  for  him  to  do  in  a  rich 
and  splendid  city  if  he  would  go.  This  was  joyful  news,  and  he 
agreed  at  once. 

Once  more  Paul  bade  farewell  to  his  native  city,  his  relations 
and  Nazarene  friends  who  had  gathered  round  him  ;  and  going  in 
the  boat  with  Barnabas,  they  went  swiftly  down  the  river  in  the 
morning  sunshine,  away  from  his  old  home,  which  he  would  not 
see  again  for  eight  years.  And  as  they  sailed  across  the  wide  blue 
gulf,  Paul  would  hear  of  the  dispute  in  Jerusalem  about  Peter  and 
Cornelius,  and  who  were  for  and  who  were  against  the  old  apostle  ; 
and  the  two  men  would  grow  warm  against  those  who  wished 
to  force  circumcision  upon  strangers,  contrary  to  the  teaching  of 
Jesus,  who  died  to  save  all  men. 

In  a  little  boat  with  one  large  sail,  bearing  across  a  windy 
gulf,  with  a  strong,  warm-hearted  friend  beside  him,  Paul  was 
speeding  swiftly  towards  the  one  spot  on  earth  where  his  energy 
was  wanted.  With  the  matured  mind  of  middle  age,  he  was 
about  to  begin  his  life's  task  of  establishing  congregations  of 
Nazarenes  all  over  the  Roman  Empire — a  task  for  which  his  life 
hitherto,  as  Jewish  rabbi  and  as  Nazarene,  was  one  long  pre- 
paration. 

The  City  of   Battlements. 

ANTIOCH:    AGED   40-50. 

ABOUT  the  time  that  the  Emperor  Claudius,  with  purple  robe 
-^^  and  flashing  helmet,  was  entering  England,  to  overrun  the 
country  with  his  Roman  eagles,  Paul,  in  brown  cloak  and  kerchief, 
was  landing  upon  the  sea-shore  below  Antioch — the  messenger  of 
the  gospel  of  peace. 


168  THE    CITY    OF   BATTLEMENTS. 

He  was  going  to  a  wonderful  city,  the  third  largest  in  the 
Roman  Empire,  with  five  hundred  tliousand  people.  It  was  six- 
teen miles  up  from  the  coast,  on  the  banks  of  the  white  river 
Orontes ;  and  the  palace  was  built  upon  a  curving  island  joined 
by  five  stone  bridges  to  the  city  on  each  side,  that  extended  for 
four  miles  along  the  foot  of  rocky  hills.  All  towns  and  cities  of 
that  time  had  walls,  and  those  of  Antioch  were  the  most  remark- 
able in  the  world.  Their  ruins  can  still  be  seen.  They  were  broad 
and  high,  built  from  the  side  of  the  river  in  a  line  that  climbed 
up  the  hillside  over  crag,  cliff,  peak,  and  ravine,  with  arches  and 
solid  masonry,  right  up  to  the  very  top  of  the  rocky  hills,  along 
the  uneven  ridge,  and  down  to  the  river  again  for  seven  miles,  en- 
closing the  city  and  half  the  hill  of  Silpius  ;  and  over  the  low  arch- 
ways of  the  city  gates  were  massive  square  towers  for  additional 
protection.  The  top  of  Mount  Silpius  was  crowned  with  a  large 
castle  for  soldiers.  At  the  foot  of  the  cliffs  were  the  rose  gardens 
and  lily  ponds,  among  glittering  streams  fed  from  the  river  beyond. 

Kings  had  spent  large  sums  in  beautifying  the  streets.  The 
great  Jewish  king,  Herod,  lined  one  of  them  for  two  miles  with 
pillars  of  white  marble,  to  make  a  covered  way  for  the  foot- 
path. The  people  were  fond  of  amusement,  and  at  the  base  of 
the  hills  there  was  a  large  amphitheatre,  like  that  at  Tarsus, 
for  public  games.  They  had  their  temples,  for  they  were  wor- 
shippers of  idols  or  the  stars ;  but  they  were  proudest  of  all 
that  their  streets  were  lighted  at  night  with  oil-lamps,  a  thing 
which  no  other  city  had.  A  much  greater  wonder,  however,  was 
the  large  crag  behind  the  city,  which  Licos  the  sculptor,  at  a 
king's  command,  had  carved  into  the  shape  of  a  man's  head,  with 
a  crown  that  could  be  recognized  from  the  sea — a  head  which 
has  come  down  to  us  on  their  copper  coins  as  the  emblem  of 
Antioch. 

The  people,  however,  had  a  bad  name  for  idleness,  pleasure- 
seeking,  and  worse ;  and  through  the  Daphne  gate  a  road  went 
out  for  five  miles  into  the  country,  lined  all  the  way  with  the 
houses  and  gardens  of  the  rich,  until  it  entered  the  groves  of 
Daphne.  There,  amid  countless  trees  of  glossy-leaved  daphne, 
laurel,  myrtle,  and  dark  cypress,  spreading  out  for  ten  miles 
around  it,  was  a  magnificent  temple,  with  priests  and  priestesses, 
containing  a  huge  statue  of  Apollo  in  sparkling  white  marble, 
and  this  was  the  centre  of  feasts  and  wild  orgies,  so  wicked  that 
even  the  Romans  in  distant  Italy  called  them  shameful. 

Traders  from  all  parts  came  to  this  city,  and  in  its  streets 
might  be  seen  the  black  African  and  the  fair-skinned  Greek;  and 
coppery  Egyptians,  Persians,  Romans,  Jews,  and  islanders  from 


THE    CITY    OF    BATTLEMENTS.  169 

Cyprus,  Crete,  and  Rhodes,  who  looked  upon  Antioch  and  the 
groves  of  Daphne  as  the  lightest,  gayest  places  in  the  world.  It 
did  not  turn  out  philosophers  and  scholars,  but  their  dancers, 
boxers,  acrobats,  clowns,  runners,  and  conjurers  were  the  most 
famous,  as  the  fools  and  jesters  were  the  wittiest,  to  be  found  any- 
where. 

This,  then,  was  the  city  to  which  Paul  was  brought,  and  these 
were  the  streets  in  which  he  would  preach  the  chaste,  the  tem- 
perate, the  deep  gospel  of  Jesus,  and  where  he  would  rear  up 
a  congregation  of  Nazarenes  richer,  more  num^erous,  and  more 
powerful  than  that  in  Jerusalem,  the  most  of  w^hom  would  be 
strangers  and  foreigners. 

Landing  at  the  walled  seaport  of  Seleucia,  Paul  and  Barnabas 
would  ride  up  to  Antioch  along  a  broad  paved  way  by  the  side  of 
the  swift  Orontes,  and  through  wooded  glens.  A  strong  bridge 
of  four  arches  brought  them  into  the  gay  city.  No  doubt  Paul 
had  been  in  Antioch  before  in  his  journeys  ;  for  it  was  the  capital 
of  Syria,  and  its  mountain  walls  could  almost  be  seen  on  a  bright 
day  from  Tarsus  over  the  sea.  The  network  of  streets,  thronged 
with  all  races  of  people,  would  move  him  deeply ;  for  had  not 
Barnabas  told  him  that  with  his  knowledge  and  eloquence,  God's 
power,  and  the  vision,  he  would  persuade  the  people  of  the  city 
to  join  the  Nazarenes  in  hundreds  !  And  as  he  walked  in  the 
shadow  of  Herod's  pillars  along  the  main  street,  he  would  see 
people  of  all  nations,  from  the  Greek  in  bright  jacket  and  kilt  of 
white,  and  the  dusky  Arab  in  woollen  cloak  of  broad-striped  green 
and  black,  to  the  smiling  flower-girl  with  black  hair  crowned  with 
roses.  And  every  one  who  passed  knew,  by  his  brown  cloak  and 
striped  kerchief,  that  he  too  was  a  travelling  Jew. 

Just  as  at  Tarsus,  the  Jews  kept  to  one  part  of  the  town,  so 
that  they  might  carry  out  their  religious  rules  and  worship ;  and 
Barnabas  would  take  his  friend  there  to  live,  near  to  the  amphi- 
theatre, where  crowds  gathered.  There  he  met  the  Nazarenes, 
who  were  expecting  him.  Among  the  leaders  were  Simeon  the 
Black,  from  Africa ;  Lucius  of  Cyrene,  also  in  Africa ;  Manaen, 
some  relation  of  the  Jewish  prince,  Herod  Antipas — a  man  of 
position. 

He  would  rejoice  to  find  so  many  foreigners  among  them, 
while  they  too  would  look  with  eager  expectation  upon  this  man, 
of  whom  Barnabas  had  spoken  so  highly,  and  who  had  nothing 
striking  about  him  but  his  piercing  grey  eyes  and  his  stirring 
Greek  speech.  For  we  may  be  sure  that  Paul  would  not  delay  to 
tell  them  at  their  first  meeting  together  how  gladly  he  had  come 
over  from  Tarsus  to  help  them. 


170  FIRST   CALLED   CHRISTIANS. 

First  Called   Christians. 

ANTIOCH  :    AGED  40~50. 

LIKE  a  true  rabbi,  Paul  would  seek  out  for  a  room  where  he 
■^  could  carry  on  his  trade  of  weaver  and  maker  of  tents, 
and  earn  enough  to  pay  for  the  simple  bread  and  fruit,  the  fish, 
meat,  and  milk  of  his  daily  food,  and  where  he  could  welcome 
all  who  wished  to  meet  him.  It  is  likely  that  Barnabas  and  he 
would  live  together. 

It  was  his  custom  to  speak  in  every  synagogue  where  they 
would  listen,  and  he  would  tell  the  Jews  of  Antioch  that  if  they 
rejected  the  gospel  it  would  be  to  their  loss  and  not  his,  for  there 
were  strangers  willing  to  hearken  to  this  Jewish  teaching  and 
turn  from  their  idols  to  the  living  God.  He  told  his  countrymen 
that  a  great  door  had  been  opened,  that  the  foreigners  might 
come  into  the  kingdom  by  the  saving  knowledge  of  Jesus  and  of 
God,  but  that  Jews  should  be  first  to  come.  We  do  not  know 
what  he  said,  but  this  is  part  of  what  he  wrote  years  after- 
wards : — 

"Brethren,  my  heart's  desire  and  prayer  to  God  for  my 
countrymen  is  that  they  may  be  saved.  For  they  have  zeal  for 
God,  but  not  right  knowledge.  Not  knowing  God's  righteous- 
ness, and  wishing  to  set  up  their  own  righteousness,  they  did  not 
submit  themselves  to  Him.  Every  one  who  believes  in  Jesus  is 
as  if  he  has  kept  all  the  Jewish  religious  law.  Moses  wrote  that 
whoever  kept  the  whole  Jewish  law  shall  live.  Whoever  believes 
in  Jesus  shall  live.  This  righteousness  of  Jesus  speaks  thus  to 
us  :  Do  not  say  in  your  heart,  Who  shall  go  up  into  the  skies  to 
bring  Jesus  down  %  or,  Who  shall  descend  into  the  deeps  to  bring 
Him  back  from  the  dead  ?  The  word  of  life  is  near  you,  in  your 
mouth  and  in  your  heart — the  word  of  faith  which  we  preach  to 
you.  If  you  believe  in  your  heart  and  confess  with  your  mouth 
that  Jesus  is  the  Lord,  and  that  God  raised  Him  from  the  dead, 
you  will  be  saved.  For  with  the  heart  you  believe  to  righteous- 
ness, and  with  the  mouth  you  confess  to  salvation.  Isaiah  wrote. 
Whoever  believes  on  God  shall  not  be  put  to  shame.  There 
is  no  diff"erence  between  Jews  and  foreigners  :  for  the  same  God 
is  Lord  over  them  all,  and  rich  toward  all  who  call  on  Him. 
Whoever  calls  upon  the  name  of  Jesus  will  be  saved.  But  how 
can  strangers  call  on  Him  in  whom  they  do  not  believe?  or  believe 
in  Him  of  whom  they  have  not  heard  ?  or  hear  about  Jesus  without 
a  preacher  ?     And  how  can  teachers  preach  to  them  unless  they 


FIRST    CALLED    CHRISTIANS.  iTl 

are  sent  ?  Listen  to  the  words  of  Isaiali :  How  beautiful  upon 
the  mountains  are  the  feet  of  him  that  bringeth  good  tidings,  that 
publisheth  peace  ! " 

No  chief  priests  were  there  to  plot  against  his  life ;  and 
with  the  strong  help  of  Barnabas,  he  worked  in  that  city  for 
a  year,  amid  the  rains  and  snows  of  winter  and  the  sunshine  of 
summer,  preaching  the  new  gospel  to  all  who  would  listen,  and 
getting  many  to  join  the  Nazarenes,  and  teaching  them  by  his 
example  how  to  live  the  higher  life  of  faith  in  Jesus.  And 
what  did  he  preach  1  That  Jesus,  who  was  crucified  in  Jerusalem 
ten  years  ago,  was  the  Christ  and  Son  of  God  according  to  the 
Jewish  Bible,  who  came  into  the  world  to  save  men  from  wicked- 
ness ;  and  that  whoever  turned  from  their  idols  to  the  living  God, 
and  lived  lives  worthy  of  Him,  would  be  saved.  Again  we  do 
not  know  his  words,  but  this  is  what  he  afterwards  wrote  : — 

"There  is  no  blame  to  them  that  are  in  Jesus.  The  Spirit  of 
life  in  Him  has  made  us  free  from  sin.  What  the  Jewish  religious 
law  could  not  do  for  man  through  his  weak  efforts  at  righteous- 
ness, God  did,  sending  His  own  Son  as  a  man  to  put  down  sin  : 
that  what  the  Jewish  law  required  might  be  fulfilled  in  us,  who 
live  no  more  after  our  own  desires,  but  guided  by  the  Spirit  of 
God.  They  who  live  for  the.  world  think  of  worldly  things,  but 
they  who  live  for  the  Spirit  pay  heed  to  spiritual  things  ;  for  the 
one  is  death,  but  the  other  life  and  peace.  Our  selfish  desires  arc 
opposed  to  God  ;  for  we  are  not  then  obeying  Him,  and  cannot  so 
please  Him.  But  you  are  not  of  the  world  if  the  Spirit  of  Jesus 
dwells  in  you.  If  a  man  has  not  His  Spirit,  he  is  not  one  of  His 
followers.  And  if  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  the  Christ  be  in  you,  sin 
is  as  dead  in  you,  and  righteousness  living,  because  of  His  Spirit. 
If  the  Spirit  of  God,  who  raised  up  Jesus  from  the  dead,  dwells 
in  you.  He  shall  also  give  you  life." 

"  Jesus  the  Christ  !  Jesus  the  Christ !  Jesus  the  Christ ! " 
rang  over  the  heads  of  those  who  came  to  hear  this  Jew  in  his 
brown  cloak  and  sandals,  whose  eyes  glowed  as  he  stood  in  the 
shaded  bazaars  or  dimly-lit  synagogues,  or  stemmed  the  crowd  of 
men  thronging  to  the  racecourse  under  the  blue  skies.  Pleasure- 
seekers,  trades-people,  merry  jesters  and  quick-wits,  gaily-dressed 
women,  and  sober  citizens  stood  on  the  fringe  of  these  crowds, 
listening  now  to  the  tall  Jew  of  Cyprus,  now  to  the  black-haired 
man  of  Tarsus,  admiring  the  eloquence  of  the  one  and  the  answers 
of  the  other;  and  as  they  heard  the  words  "Jesus  the  Christ" 
being  constantly  repeated,  they  called  the  Nazarenes  by  a  new 
name,  which  they  were  glad  to  accept.  In  the  streets  of  Antioch 
they  were,  for  the  first  time,  called  Christians — followers  of  the 


1*72  EEeod's  glitteking  robe. 

Christ.  Some  think  it  was  a  name  given  in  jest  in  that  city  of 
fools  and  jesters,  although  it  has  not  the  sound  of  a  nickname, 
but  rather  of  a  short  description  of  men  who  had  the  name  of 
Jesus  the  Christ  continually  on  their  lips. 

And  of  all  the  names  which  have  been  given  to  the  followers 
of  Jesus,  or  which  they  have  called  themselves,  Christians  is  the 
perfect  name ;  and  it  would  be  a  good  thing  for  religion  if  all 
the  others  which  have  sprung  up  since  it  was  first  shouted  in  the 
streets  of  Antioch  could  be  forgotten,  and  this  alone  remain.  And 
by  that  name  we  shall  henceforth  know  the  Nazarenes. 


Herod's  Glittering  Robe. 

ANTIOCH  :    AGED  40-50. 

WHILE  Paul  and  Barnabas  worked  with  such  success  in 
Antioch,  things  were  not  going  so  well  with  the  Chris- 
tians in  Jerusalem,  because  of  changes  that  were  taking  place 
with  their  Roman  masters.  When  the  Emperor  Caligula  was 
killed,  the  Jewish  prince,  Herod  Agrippa,  was  in  Rome,  and 
rendered  such  important  services  to  the  new  emperor,  Claudius, 
that  he  was  publicly  thanked,  and  had  a  brass  tablet  put  up  to 
him  in  the  city,  and  received  power  to  rule  over  all  the  country 
of  his  grandfather  Herod  the  Great. 

Herod  Agrippa  was  not  a  good  man,  but  he  said  he  was  a 
Pharisee,  and  great  was  the  joy  in  Jerusalem  when  he  rode  into 
the  city  to  give  gifts  and  sacrifices  in  the  temple,  and  worship 
there  with  much  solemnity.  He  put  out  Annas  the  Sadducee,  high 
priest,  and  put  in  Simeon,  a  relative  of  his  own ;  and  he  made 
Gamaliel  president  of  the  Sanhedrim.  The  priests  rejoiced; 
although,  when  Agrippa  went  down  to  Csesarea,  he  put  off  the 
Pharisee,  and  openly  lived  the  life  of  a  profligate  Roman. 

When  the  Nazarenes  were  being  called  Christians  in  Antioch, 
the  Emperor  Claudius  was  carving  out  with  Roman  short  swords 
another  Roman  province,  south  of  the  Thames  and  London,  to  be 
called  Britannicus.  Claudius  did  not  do  much  of  this,  but  took 
credit  for  it  all,  and  had  a  coin  made  with  his  head  on  one  side 
and  a  triumphal  arch  on  the  other,  and  ordered  statues,  proces- 
sions, and  rejoicing  in  Rome  over  the  conquest  of  the  Islands  of 
Tin.  And  when  the  emperor  rejoiced,  of  course  all  his  little 
kinglets  made  merry  also ;  and  Paul  and  Barnabas,  at  work  in 
Antioch,  would  hear  of  the  conquest  of  the  Islands  of  Tin,  although 
they  would  have  no  idea  where  they  were. 


Herod's  glittering  robe.  173 

Herod  Agrippa  had  many  reasons  for  wishing  to  be  on  good 
terms  with  the  rabbis,  and  he  knew  it  would  please  them  if  he 
persecuted  the  Christians,  as  in  the  days  of  Paul's  madness ;  and 
he  caused  the  apostle  James,  the  Galilean  fisherman  and  cousin 
of  Jesus,  to  be  put  in  prison  and  beheaded,  as  Herod  the  Fox 
had  done  with  John  the  Baptist.  Jesus  said  that  His  apostles 
would  have  to  face  death,  and  James  was  the  first  to  suffer.  Seeing 
that  this  pleased  the  Sanhedrim,  Agrippa  next  caused  Peter,  the 
old  warm-hearted  apostle,  to  be  seized  and  imprisoned,  intending 
to  kill  him  when  the  Passover  festival  was  over  and  the  crowds 
had  left  the  city ;  but  Peter  was  marvellously  delivered,  and  fled 
from  Jerusalem. 

The  little  Roman  kinglets  were  ordered  to  hold  days  of  public 
games  and  rejoicing  in  honour  of  the  emperor's  victories  in  Britain, 
and  it  is  thought  that  it  was  on  account  of  these  rejoicings  that 
Agrippa  rode  down  from  Jerusalem  to  C^esarea ;  but  he  never 
came  back  to  strike  down  the  other  apostles,  for  he  died  there. 

It  was  early  morning,  before  the  dawn,  and  the  great  open- 
air  theatre  at  Csesarea  was  crowded  with  thousands  of  people, 
sitting  in  rows  upon  the  stone  benches,  who  had  come  together 
to  see  the  young  men  wrestling,  fighting,  leaping,  singing,  dancing, 
in  honour  of  the  emperor.  It  was  the  second  day,  and  the  place 
was  crowded  with  thousands,  who  wished  to  see  the  king  come  in 
and  take  his  seat. 

The  stars  overhead  grew  paler  and  the  sky  less  deep,  the  hills 
of  Carmel  were  turning  from  purple  to  faint  red,  when  suddenly 
their  rugged  edges  were  tipped  with  fire  that  heralded  the  dawn. 
At  the  very  instant  when  the  sun's  first  rays  came  dazzling  over 
the  city,  the  king  entered  the  theatre.  He  was  crowned,  and 
wearing  a  robe  of  silver  threads  ;  and  when  he  moved,  his  dazzling 
mantle  seemed  to  give  forth  light  as  the  sun  smote  him,  and  his 
gold  crown  to  burn. 

He  had  a  quarrel  with  the  Phoenicians  over  their  grain  ships, 
and  standing  in  his  glittering  robes,  he  made  a  great  speech 
about  it — for  he  was  a  trained  orator  who  had  held  the  Roman 
senate  listening — and  he  delighted  the  multitude.  The  foreigners 
of  Csesarea  were  accustomed  to  worship  the  image  of  Ceesar 
Augustus  in  the  white  temple ;  Caligula  had  called  himself  a  god  ; 
and  when  Herod  ended  they  shouted,  "  It  is  the  voice  of  a  god, 
and  not  of  a  man  !  "  The  next  cry  was  one  of  alarm — "  The  king 
is  ill !  "  For  the  shimmering  figure  with  the  crown  had  fallen  back- 
wards, to  be  carried  away  from  these  shouting  thousands,  while 
yet  the  primrose  dawn  had  scarce  covered  the  spring  sky,  away 
through  gardens  of  dewy  flowers  to  his  gilded  palace ;  but  not  to 


174  HELP    FOR    THE    POOR    CHRISTIANS. 

recover,  for  he  died  within  a  week.  And  the  Jews  mourned  for 
him  in  haircloth  and  ashes,  saying  as  they  did  so  that  it  was 
because  he  had  allowed  the  people  to  call  him  a  god  that  he  was 
smitten  by  an  angel.  And  thus  died  the  last  Jewish  prince  that 
ruled  over  Jerusalem,  for  he  was  succeeded  as  governor  by  Fad  us 
the  Roman ;  and  again  the  Christians  had  peace. 


Help  for  the   Poor  Christians, 

ANTIOCH  :    AGED   40-50. 

OTHER  Christians  came  from  distant  Jerusalem  to  help  Paul 
and  Barnabas  at  Antioch,  and  the  work  went  slowly  on. 
They  spoke  with  great  earnestness.  One  called  Agabus  said  it  had 
been  made  known  to  him  that  there  would  be  a  widespread  famine, 
and  having  just  come  from  Judea,  he  could  tell  them  of  the  state 
of  that  country.  Perhaps  he  asked  them  to  send  help  to  the  Jeru- 
salem Christians,  who  were  poor  and  persecuted ;  for  the  men  of 
Antioch  took  it  up  in  a  loving  and  hearty  way.  They  knew  the 
saying  of  Jesus,  "As  ye  would  that  others  should  do  unto  you, 
do  ye  even  so  unto  them ; "  and  guided  b}^  Paul  and  Barnabas, 
they  resolved  to  gather  money.  What  a  contrast  to  the  spirit 
of  some  Jerusalem  Christians,  who  were  indignant  that  the  gospel 
should  be  preached  there.  In  reply  they  were  going  to  keep 
them  from  starving.  Their  teachers  had  good  reason  to  be  proud 
of  them,  and  the  collection  was  made  in  coins  of  silver  and  cop- 
per, with  a  man's  head  and  Greek  words  upon  them — all  the 
Christians  giving  something,  until  they  had  a  large  sum  gathered. 

In  those  days  money  was  valued  very  highly,  and  they  asked 
if  Paul  and  Barnabas  would  take  their  gift  to  Jerusalem,  and  see 
the  men  who  looked  after  the  poor.  This  was  the  beginning  of 
an  arrangement  not  unlike  that  by  which  Jews  in  all  lands  sent 
money  to  the  temple.  Paul  afterwards  developed  it  greatly,  and 
it  gave  much  satisfaction  to  the  leading  Christians  who  lived  in 
JerusalenL  Besides  helping  them,  it  stirred  up  feelings  of  kind- 
ness among  all  Christians,  who  sent  money  to  men  whom  they 
had  never  seen,  but  whom  they  revered  for  having  lived  and  talked 
witli  Jesus. 

Paul  believed  it  was  the  will  of  God  that  he  should  go  to 
Jerusalem  to  help  those  in  distress,  and  to  see  the  leaders  about 
whether  they  thought  foreigners  were  as  free  as  Jews  to  become 
Christians,  for  the  question  was  very  troublesome.      Those  who 


HELP   FOR   THE    POOR    CHRISTIANS.  175 

were  against  him  had  not  ceased  their  opposition,  and  were  being 
incited  to  mischief  by  some  Pharisee  traitors  who  had  joined  the 
Christians  that  they  might  hinder  the  spread  of  the  new  gospel. 
These  Paul  called  false  brothers,  and  spies  from  the  outside. 

Taking  Titus,  a  young  Greek  who  had  joined  the  Antioch 
Christians,  Barnabas  and  Paul  bade  farewell  to  their  friends,  and 
started  on  their  long  journey.  They  would  be  provided  with  warm 
clothing,  food,  money,  and  all  else  they  might  want  during  their 
absence,  and  be  well  laden  with  the  money  in  leather  bags.  It  is 
likely  that  Paul  would  sail  from  Seleucia  to  Csesarea,  taking  with 
him  corn  and  food  of  such  kinds  as  could  be  bought  cheaply  there. 
A  year  or  two  later,  Queen  Helena  of  Adiabene^  in  Asia,  who 
liked  the  old  Jewish  religion,  hearing  of  the  long  famine,  bought 
corn  in  Egypt  and  figs  in  Cyprus,  and  sent  them  in  ships,  to  be 
distributed  amongst  the  poor  of  Jerusalem. 

Titus  was  to  be  a  faithful  worker  for  many  years  to  come, 
and  a  teacher  taught  by  Paul,  who  would  yet  go  out  alone ;  and 
while  we  do  not  know  the  instruction  which  Paul  would  give  him 
during  the  long  days  of  the  three  weeks'  voyage,  this  is  part  of 
a  letter  which  he  afterwards  wrote  him,  full  of  guidance  for  the 
young  man  : — 

"  Speak  the  things  which  fit  right  teaching.  Bid  aged  men  be 
temperate,  grave,  sober-minded,  strong  in  faith,  love,  and  patience. 
Bid  aged  women  be  reverent  in  conduct,  not  speaking  ill  of  their 
neighbours,  not  given  to  much  wine,  teachers  of  what  is  good  ; 
that  they  may  train  young  women  to  love  tlieir  husbands  and 
their  children,  and  be  sober-minded,  chaste,  workers  at  home, 
kind  and  obedient,  that  the  gospel  may  not  be  injured. 

"  Bid  young  men  be  sober-minded,  and  always  show  yourself 
an  example  of  good  deeds.  In  your  teaching  show  faith,  truth, 
gravity,  and  sound  speaking,  that  cannot  be  blamed ;  so  that  who- 
ever opposes  you  may  be  ashamed,  having  no  ill  thing  that  he  can 
say  of  you.  Bid  slaves  be  obedient  to  their  masters,  and  please 
them  in  everything ;  not  speaking  back,  nor  stealing,  but  showing 
faithfulness,  so  that  they  may  be  in  all  things  an  honour  to  the 
teaching  of  Jesus.  The  grace  of  God  has  brought  salvation  to 
all  men,  instructing  us  that,  putting  away  unrighteousness,  we 
should  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly  in  this  world  ;  looking 
forward  to  the  blessed  hope  and  appearing  of  God  and  our  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ ;  who  gave  Himself  for  us,  that  He  might  redeem  us 
from  all  that  is  bad,  and  make  for  Himself  a  pure  people,  zealous 
to  do  good  works.  Speak  these  things,  and  exhort,  and  reprove 
with  all  authority  ;  and  let  no  man  despise  you." 

The  trouble  of  having  the  food  and  provisions  brought  from 


176  HELP   FOR   THE   POOR    CHRISTIANS. 

Caesarea  and  distributed  in  Jerusalem  would  be  very  great ;  and 
Paul  and  his  two  friends  remained  in  the  city,  helping  from  day 
to  day  to  serve  out  this  most  practical  proof  of  the  sound  Chris- 
tianity of  the  men  of  Antioch,  and  seeing  the  money  rightly  dis- 
posed of.  Like  Queen  Helena,  they  would  have  to  send  to  Egypt 
and  the  islands  for  corn,  fruit,  and  oil,  for  the  famine  was  widespread. 

He  does  not  appear  to  have  preached  in  the  synagogues  during 
this  vi&it.  It  was  not  a  time  to  rouse  the  city  authorities  to  fresh 
persecutions  of  starving  people.  He,  however,  talked  privately 
and  plainly  with  those  leaders  in  whom  he  had  confidence  upon 
the  vital  subject  of  the  admission  of  foreigners,  telling  them  that 
he  taught  everywhere  that  they  did  not  need  to  be  circumcised 
to  become  Christians,  and  that  the  gospel  was  free  to  all  men. 
The  Christians  of  the  circumcision,  however,  said  that  his  friend 
Titus  was  not  a  Christian  at  all  until  he  was  circumcised.  But 
Paul  would  not  give  way  for  a  moment.  He  knew  they  were 
being  stirred  up  by  false  Pharisees,  who  wished  to  get  all  Chris- 
tians bound  down  to  keep  the  law  and  the  traditions  of  the  rabbis, 
like  the  Jews  of  the  old  religion.  But  he  insisted  upon  having 
the  freedom  he  claimed  for  all  foreign  Christians ;  and  the  leaders 
in  whom  he  had  confidence — Peter,  James,  and  John — took  him 
and  Barnabas  by  the  hand,  and  bade  them  go  and  preach  the  gospel 
to  foreigners  without  circumcision  ;  all  they  asked  was  that  he 
should  keep  the  poor  Christians  of  Jerusalem  in  mind,  which  he 
was  most  willing  to  do. 

Paul  was  glad  of  their  approval,  but  it  left  the  circumcision 
question  quite  unsettled.  While  he  and  Barnabas  were  free  to  tell 
foreigners  that  circumcision  was  not  required,  others  were  free  to 
tell  Jews  that  it  was  essential  to  their  being  Christians. 

He  had  now  carried  out  his  purpose,  and  his  mind  was  uneasy 
as  to  whether  he  should  remain  any  longer.  From  the  time  of 
his  vision  on  the  road  at  Damascus,  he  relied  upon  immediate 
guidance  from  God,  in  visions,  dreams,  and  inspirations. 

One  day  he  was  in  the  golden  temple,  praying  for  guidance, 
with  his  face  turned  towards  the  white  pillars  of  the  mysterious 
holy  place.  And  as  he  prayed,  a  strange  half-dream  came  over 
him,  called  a  trance.  He  had  a  vision  of  Jesus,  who  bade  him 
hasten  out  of  Jerusalem,  for  the  people  would  not  believe  what 
he  said  about  Him.  And  Paul  replied,  "Lord,  they  know  that 
I  imprisoned  and  beat  them  in  the  synagogue  that  believed  on 
Thee.  And  when  the  blood  of  Stephen,  Thy  witness,  was  shed, 
I  was  standing  by,  consenting,  and  keeping  the  garments  of  them 
that  killed  him."  Fourteen  years  had  passed  since  that  awful 
spectacle  was  branded  upon  his  memory,  and  it  was  fresh  as  yes- 


A   FAMILIAR    VOYAGE.  1*1*7 

terday.  His  madness  in  Jerusalem  rose  like  a  wall  of  brass,  and 
shut  him  out  from  doing  any  good  there.  "  Depart,"  was  the 
reply.  "  I  will  send  you  far  hence  to  foreigners."  When  he 
recovered  from  his  trance,  he  had  got  an  answer  to  his  prayer, 
and  his  duty  was  clear.  Leaving  the  temple,  he  went  down  into 
the  town  to  tell  his  friends  that  he  must  leave  them  and  carry 
out  the  mission  to  foreigners  to  which  he  had  been  called. 


A   Familiar  Voyage. 

JERUSALEM  :    AGED  40-50. 

WHEN  his  friends  heard  of  the  answer  to  his  prayer  in  the 
temple,  they  agreed  that  he  should  leave  Jerusalem  and 
go  back  with  Barnabas  to  Antioch.  The  leading  Christians  met 
in  the  house  of  Mary,  sister  of  Barnabas,  and  Paul  asked  her  son 
Mark,  an  earnest  believer  in  Jesus,  to  come  with  them.  Mark 
had  often  seen  Jesus  in  Jerusalem,  and  had  followed  Him  from 
Gethsemane  into  the  city  on  the  night  when  the  temple  guards 
toak  Him  prisoner.  He  followed  until  a  soldier  seized  his  cloak, 
thinking  he  was  a  disciple.  It  is  thought  that  long  after  this 
he  wrote  the  Gospel  of  Mark,  which  he  could  easily  do  from  his 
knowledge  of  Jesus  and  close  friendship  with  the  apostles. 

Again  Paul  bade  farewell  to  Peter  and  his  other  friends  at 
Jerusalem,  having  come  to  an  understanding  that  he  was  to  preach 
his  gospel  in  foreign  cities,  and  rode  with  his  companions  down  the 
familiar  Roman  road,  over  the  breezy  hills,  to  the  port  of  Csesarea. 
Again  he  was  in  a  ship,  and  sailing  on  the  familiar  voyage  of  three 
weeks  to  Seleucia  and  the  Orontes  river.  As  they  sailed  in  idle- 
ness from  day  to  day,  he  would  talk  with  his  three  friends,  and 
this  is  what  he  wrote  to  one  of  them  some  years  later : — 

"  Tell  the  people  to  obey  their  rulers  and  magistrates,  to  be 
ready  for  every  good  work,  to  speak  ill  of  no  man,  and  not  to 
be  quarrelsome,  but  gentle,  showing  respect  to  all  men.  For  we 
ourselves  were  once  foolish,  disobedient,  and  deceived,  following 
wicked  desires  and  pleasures,  malicious,  envious,  hateful,  and  hat- 
ing one  another.  But  when  the  kindness  of  God  and  His  love 
toward  men  became  known  to  us,  we  were  saved.  Not  because  of 
the  good  which  we  did  ourselves,  but  through  favour  did  God  save 
us,  by  the  renewing  of  His  Holy  Spirit,  which  He  poured  out  upon 
us  richly  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour ;  that  being  made 
just  by  His  favour,  we  might  have  hope  of  the  life  that  is  for 
evermore.     This  also  is  true,  and  I  wish  you  to  repeat  it  con- 

(1.040)  12 


178  A   FAMILIAR   VOYAGE. 

fidently  to  the  end,  that  all  those  who  declare  their  beKef  in 
God  should  be  careful  to  work  at  an  honest  occupation.  That  is 
good  and  profitable  for  a  man.  But  avoid  foolish  questions  and 
inquiries,  and  strife  and  fighting  about  the  Jewish  religious  law ; 
for  that  is  vain  and  useless." 

The  Christians  of  Antioch  rejoiced  to  see  him  back,  after  a 
year's  absence,  accompanied  by  Barnabas,  Mark,  and  the  youthful 
Titus,  and  listened  with  interest  to  their  story  of  the  distress  in 
Jerusalem,  and  the  gratitude  of  the  poor  Christians.  And  Paul 
would  tell  them  also  that  the  leaders  rejoiced  that  so  many  of 
them  were  becoming  Christians. 

There  were  now  so  many  Christians  in  Antioch  that  they  called 
the  place  they  met  in  a  church,  meaning  Christ's  house.  Gradu- 
ally, however,  that  name  was  also  given  to  the  people  who  met 
in  it,  and  the  word  went  on  widening  until  it  came  to  mean  all 
Christians  everywhere.  In  our  day  it  has  so  many  meanings, 
great  and  small,  that  it  is  a  very  difficult  word  to  use  rightly,  and 
may  well  be  avoided. 

Paul  knew  the  usefulness  and  strength  of  the  organization  of 
priests,  Levites,  rabbis  and  scribes,  and  synagogue  rulers  and 
elders,  of  which  the  temple  and  the  Sanhedrim  were  the  head, 
and  the  synagogues  and  their  courts  and  office-bearers  were  the 
branches.  These  synagogues  held  their  feasts  and  fasts,  and  read, 
prayed,  and  worshipped  all  in  one  way,  and  the  people  were 
looked  after  by  good  and  elderly  men  called  elders ;  and  Paul 
formed  the  congregations  of  Christians  on  the  same  plan,  but 
with  very  great  differences.  And  so  our  Christian  worship  to 
this  day  follows  the  lines  of  the  synagogues  of  the  time  when 
Jesus  taught  in  them.  We  do  not  know  what  Paul  said  in  his 
addresses  on  this  subject,  but  these  are  some  of  the  directions 
he  wrote  some  years  afterwards  : — 

"First  of  all,  let  prayers  and  thanksgiving  be  made  for  kings, 
rulers,  and  all  men,  that  we  may  live  quiet  and  peaceable  lives  in 
all  godliness  and  gravity.  This  is  good  and  pleasing  to  God,  who 
wishes  all  men  to  be  saved  and  come  to  know  the  truth.  For 
there  is  only  one  God,  and  One  who  stands  between  God  and  men, 
Jesus  the  Christ,  Himself  a  man ;  who  gave  Himself  for  us  all. 
This  is  the  gospel,  of  which  I  was  appointed  a  herald,  apostle, 
and  teacher  of  foreigners  in  faith  and  truth. 

"I  wish  men  to  pray  in  every  place,  lifting  up  holy  hands 
without  doubt  or  question.  Also  that  women  should  dress 
quietly,  modestly,  soberly,  not  richly,  but  as  becomes  good  women 
doing  good  works.  Let  them  learn  in  quietness,  for  I  do  not 
permit  them  to  teach  or  rule  over  men." 


DEAD    IDOLS    AND    THE    LIVING    GOD.  179 

Dead   Idols  and  the  Living  God. 

ANTIOCH  :    AGED   40-50. 

THE  chief  Christians  at  Antioch  were  called  prophets  and 
teachers,  and  among  them  were  Barnabas  and  Mark,  Titus 
and  Simeon,  Lucius  and  Manaen  ;  and  under  their  care  the  congre- 
gation continued  to  grow  and  prosper,  for  every  one  was  a  worker 
in  spreading  the  new  gospel.  Going  from  door  to  door,  and  house 
to  house,  and  man  to  man,  they  urged  men  to  turn  from  their 
idols  and  the  low  life  of  idolaters  to  the  living  God  and  the 
higher  life. 

They  had  centuries  of  prejudice  to  contend  against;  for  the 
people  were  led  by  priests  who  taught  them  to  worship  Apollo, 
whose  image  as  a  beautiful  man,  carved  in  white  marble,  and 
pouring  wine  from  a  gold  bowl,  was  in  all  their  temples  and  some 
of  their  streets.  By  the  roadsides  stood  square  white  altars, 
where  the  people  could  place  gifts  of  corn,  wine,  and  oil  to  this 
idol  or  to  the  nymphs.  Their  worship  was  accompanied  by  such 
feasting  and  drinking,  such  games,  processions,  tempting  sights 
and  revelry,  that  the  people,  and  especially  the  young,  were 
attracted  by  the  laughter  and  fun,  eating  and  drinking.  Their 
priests  laid  down  no  rules  for  good  behaviour,  but  rather  en- 
couraged licence  and  intemperance,  asking  nothing  in  return, 
only  money  and  gifts. 

In  the  spring  of  each  year  they  had  festivals  in  their  temples 
of  the  most  gross  and  shameful  kind,  led  on  by  the  priests,  who 
sought  by  every  temptation  to  make  them  attractive.  The 
people  crowded  out  to  the  green  groves  of  Daphne,  with  their 
fountains  and  lakes,  to  worship  the  idol  of  the  sun,  and  bathe  and 
swim  in  the  cool  waters,  and  go  to  the  public  games,  and  feast, 
dance,  and  keep  holiday.  At  such  times  the  city  was  so  interested 
in  the  great  chariot  race  that  the  people  took  sides  and  made  bets, 
and  went  about  the  streets  wearing  flowers  and  ribbons  of  red  and 
blue,  to  show  which  charioteer  they  favoured,  sometimes  fighting 
and  rioting  over  it.  With  beautiful  idols  before  their  eyes,  and 
the  figures  of  women  and  shapely  youths  sculptured  in  snowy 
marble  and  dark  bronze,  and  enticed  with  the  drinking  and  de- 
bauchery of  their  festivals,  the  people  were  tempted  to  live 
thoughtlessly,  and  were  little  disposed  to  listen  to  the  Christians 
pleading  for  the  higher  life. 

When  Paul  stood  in  his  brown  cloak  calling  upon  the  passers- 
by  to  give  up  their  idolatries,  and  their  temples  of  pleasure,  and 


180  DEAD    IDOLS    AND    THE    LIVING    GOD. 

worship  the  living,  unseen  God  in  a  small  building,  and,  follow* 
ing  Jesus  the  Jew,  live  under  the  restraint  of  peaceful,  chaste, 
and  sober  thoughts,  there  were  many  who  turned  on  their  heel 
saying  he  was  a  fool.  But  to  others  his  demand  was  so  new  and 
wonderful  that  they  listened.  They  had  never  heard  speaking 
which  appealed  so  to  their  better  nature,  and  something  sprang 
up  within  them,  and  they  joined  the  Christians. 

And  when  the  men  of  the  city  —  trades-people,  merchants, 
slaves,  freemen — came  to  the  Christians'  meeting-place,  they  heard 
Paul  and  Barnabas  calling  upon  them,  as  men  of  common-sense 
and  reason,  to  give  up  worshipping  idols  and  offering  sacrifices  to 
figures  carved  out  of  wood  and  stone,  and  cease  going  to  the 
temple  orgies  amid  the  green  groves,  and  lead  good  and  chaste 
lives  after  the  pattern  of  Jesus.  They  did  in  Antioch  what 
our  missionaries  do  now  in  the  crowded  cities  of  India  and 
China,  where  idols  are  worshipped  in  splendid  temples  attended 
by  thousands  of  priests,  who  entice  the  people  to  come. 

When  Paul  spoke  in  the  Jewish  synagogue,  it  was  to  tell  his 
countrymen  that  the  Christ,  the  Saviour  of  their  people,  had 
come,  and  to  warn  them.  We  have  not  got  his  addresses,  but  this 
is  what  he  afterwards  wrote  : — 

"  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  :  for  it  is  the  power 
of  God  to  save  every  one  that  believes  ;  coming  to  the  Jews  first, 
and  afterwards  to  strangers.  For  in  it  is  shown  the  righteousness 
of  God  by  faith.  Habakkuk  wrote  that  the  righteous  shall  live 
by  faith.  The  anger  of  God  is  from  heaven  against  all  ungodliness 
and  unrighteousness  of  men  who  hold  down  the  truth ;  for  the 
knowledge  of  God  is  made  known  in  their  consciences,  God  making 
it  known  to  them.  The  unseen  things  of  God  since  the  creation 
of  the  world  have  been  made  known  through  the  things  that  are, 
by  His  everlasting  power  and  godliness.  So  that  men  are  without 
excuse  who,  knowing  God,  did  not  glorify  Him  as  God,  nor  give 
thanks,  but  became  proud  of  their  own  reasoning  until  their 
senseless  hearts  were  darkened.  Saying  they  were  wise,  they 
became  fools,  and  exchanged  the  glory  of  the  living  God  for  an 
image  and  copy  of  a  man,  a  bird,  a  four-footed  beast,  or  a  creeping 
thing.  And  God  gave  them  up,  their  wicked  hearts  being  unclean 
and  their  bodies  dishonoured;  for  they  exchanged  the  truth  of 
God  for  a  lie,  and  served  and  worshipped  the  thing  made  rather 
than  God  the  Creator,  who  is  blessed  for  evermore." 

The  Christians  of  Antioch  were  now  large  in  number,  and  they 
were  all  of  Paul's  mind  ;  for  he  taught  them  that  the  spirit  of 
Jesus  was  not  to  keep  His  gospel  to  themselves,  but  to  spread 
it.     They  considered  together  the  other  places  where  the  people 


SAILING   OUT   TO    CYPRUS.  181 

worshipped  idols  of  wood  and  stone,  and  had  never  heard  of  Jesua 
and  the  higher  Hfe.  Like  the  Jews  of  the  synagogue,  although 
Jesus  did  not  fast,  they  thought  there  was  good  in  it,  and  held 
fasting  days,  in  which  they  ate  little  or  no  food. 

On  one  of  those  fasting  days  they  had  a  meeting  together, 
and  one  said  he  had  a  message  from  God  that  they  should  send 
away  Paul  and  Barnabas  to  carry  the  gospel  to  other  people,  as 
they  had  been  called  to  do  by  God's  voice. 

This  was  a  very  serious  thing,  and  they  held  it  over  to  another 
meeting,  and  continued  fasting  and  waiting  to  see  what  was  their 
duty.  At  the  next  meeting  it  became  plain,  and  the  chiefs  of 
the  congregation  rose,  and  putting  their  hands  one  after  another 
on  the  heads  of  Paul  and  Barnabas,  prayed  for  them,  and  bade 
them  go.  This  putting  on  of  hands,  and  asking  God  to  bless  them, 
was  a  solemn  act  well  known  amongst  Jews.  I  had  come  down 
from  the  time  of  Moses,  and  meant  that  the  men  were  set  apart 
to  do  this  thing.  The  high  priest  put  his  hands  upon  the  head 
of  the  bull  that  was  to  be  burned  in  the  temple,  and  priests, 
Levites,  and  judges  were  set  apart  in  the  same  manner.  Like 
the  water  of  baptism,  the  hands  of  these  men  of  Antioch  did 
not  convey  to  Paul  and  Barnabas  anything  which  they  had  not 
before.  It  was  only  a  solemn  sign  before  all  the  people  that 
they  had  received  and  accepted  the  duty  which  they  were  asked 
to  undertake.  It  is  still  common  among  some  Christians,  when 
a  minister  is  appointed  to  preach,  for  the  man  who  asks  the  bless- 
ing to  place  his  hands  upon  his  head,  and  that  is  called  the  laying 
on  of  hands. 

Whither  were  they  to  go?  Men  of  Cyprus  were  among  the 
first  to  bring  the  glorious  gospel  to  Antioch.  Barnabas  was  of. 
Cyprus.  They  resolved  to  go  to  that  island,  where  they  would  be 
welcomed  by  friends — taking  Mark  as  a  travelling  companion, 
upon  a  journey  that  would  last  over  two  years. 


Sailing  out  to  Cyprus. 

CYPRUS  :    AGED  40-50. 

THE  men  of  Antioch  were  not  poor,  and  would  see  that  the 
three  travellers  were  well  furnished  for  their  journey. 
They  would  require  thick  travelling  cloaks,  and  changes  of  clothes 
for  heat  and  cold,  wind  and  rain,  long  oak  sticks  to  lean  upon, 
leather  satchels  and  small  skin  bottles  to  hang  with  a  thong  over 


182  SAILING    OUT    TO    CYPRUS. 

their  shoulder,  kiii\  es,  and  thick-soled  sandals,  and  haircloth  bags 
for  the  rolls  of  books  which  Paul  wanted,  and  money  in  the  purses 
at  their  girdle.  Swords  or  s})ears  they  would  have  none,  for  they 
were  messengers  of  the  gospel  of  peace,  and  their  trust  was  in  God. 

Paul  was  a  traveller  of  experience,  and  would  start  in  the 
spring-time,  when  the  cold  and  the  rains  were  over,  and  the  days 
full  of  sunshine.  A  crowd  of  friends  would  accomimny  them  over 
the  long  stone  bridge  of  the  broad  river,  and  down  the  paved  road, 
through  the  green  ravines  of  trees  in  full  leaf,  tangled  with  the 
wild  vine  and  honeysuckle,  as  they  rode  on  their  way  to  Seleucia, 
at  the  sandy  mouth  of  the  river. 

From  the  end  of  the  stone  quay,  on  a  clear  day,  the  purple 
mountains  of  Cyprus  could  be  seen  rising  out  of  the  blue  sea  about 
seventy  miles  towards  the  golden  west.  Fruit-boats  were  always 
coming  and  going,  and  with  a  fair  wind  the  trip  could  be  made  in 
six  hours.  Many  would  weep  as  they  embraced  Paul  and  Bar- 
nabas ;  and  when  the  open  boat  moved  out  of  the  harbour,  they 
would  run  along  the  stone  blocks  of  the  quay  to  the  end,  to  shout 
farewells  as  the  high-peaked  sail  swelled  out  upon  the  mast,  and 
the  boat  leaped  forward  before  the  wind  from  the  bay  of  dark 
sand. 

Above  the  crowded  seaport  were  the  brass-tipped  spires  and 
turrets  of  distant  Antioch,  with  its  hill  and  streets  and  island 
palace ;  and  as  the  boat  sped  seawards,  Paul  saw  that  Mount 
Silpius,  behind  the  great  city,  was  only  a  shoulder  of  the  sharp 
grey  cone  of  Mount  Cassius  beyond.  Turning  his  eyes  to  the 
northward,  the  well-known  shapes  of  the  Taurus  mountains  drew 
an  undulating  line  of  dazzling  snow  across  the  blue  sky  behind 
his  beloved  Tarsus.  The  scene  was  familiar ;  for  he  had  often 
sailed  past  Antioch,  gazing  from  the  ship's  deck  shoreward  at 
the  mountains  behind  the  battlemented  city,  and  seaward  at  the 
purple  peaks  of  Cyprus,  towards  which  they  were  now  speeding. 
He  hated  Antioch  then,  for  its  idolatry  and  levity ;  he  loved  it 
now,  for  the  men's  sake  who  had  turned  to  Jesus  and  sent  him  out. 

In  the  spring-time,  if  the  sun  is  not  too  hot,  or  the  glitter  of 
the  waves  too  dazzling,  there  is  no  more  charming  morning  sail 
than  from  Seleucia  out  to  the  island  of  Cyprus.  The  green  woods 
of  the  mainland  gradually  fade  into  the  dark  hollows  of  the  hills, 
and  these  take  on  the  hazy  violet,  purple,  and  blue  shades  of 
distance,  as  the  mountain  ranges  of  Cyprus  begin  to  part  and 
divide  into  valleys  of  green  cedars,  peaks  of  white,  cliffs  of  red, 
fields  of  brown  earth,  and  yellow  crops. 

Approaching  the  narrow  eastern  point,  they  were  at  the  most 
wild  and  rocky  part,  with  hills  behind  gradually  rising  to  the 


THEOUGH    THE    ISLE    OF    VENUS.  183 

distant  Mount  Olympus,  blue  and  capped  with  cloud.  The  island 
is  about  half  the  size  of  Ireland ;  and  after  sailing  round  the  low- 
point  they  had  still  a  good  way  to  go,  skirting  the  beautiful  coast 
of  black  rock  and  white  beach  before  they  reached  the  harbour  of 
Salamis,  the  chief  town,  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Pedias. 

It  was  a  busy  seaport,  in  a  bay  surrounded  with  flat  country, 
with  two  long  sea-walls  built  of  huge  blocks  of  stone  that  reached 
far  out  like  arms  into  the  clear  blue  water,  to  shelter  the  fleet  of 
trading-boats.  Some  were  large,  clumsy,  and  dirty,  that  carried 
salt,  and  silver,  and  the  rich  copper  ore  from  which  the  island  got 
its  name ;  others  were  light,  fast-sailing  fruit-boats,  to  carry  the 
figs,  dates,  grapes,  nuts,  melons,  and  other  kinds  of  fruits,  and 
the  special  wines  and  rare  stones  for  which  it  was  equally  famous. 

So  that  when  they  entered  the  crow^ded  harbour  and  paid  oflf 
the  boatman,  they  had  arrived  at  a  large  town  to  which  Greece 
gave  the  language  and  Rome  the  laws.  Sailors  of  all  countries, 
with  their  wool  caps  of  red  and  blue,  were  jostling  each  other  in 
the  narrow  streets ;  while  on  the  wharfs  red-cheeked,  dark-eyed 
women,  celebrated  for  their  fine  features  and  tall  figures,  were 
working  in  the  sunshine  amongst  the  fruit-baskets  and  wine-skins. 

And  as  Paul  went  away  with  Barnabas  to  seek  his  friends,  he 
saw  that  amongst  the  crowd  of  buyers  and  sellers,  traders  and 
merchants,  there  were  plenty  of  black-haired  Jews,  for  in  Cyprus 
they  were  so  numerous  as  to  be  a  danger  to  the  Poman  rulers. 


Through  the   Isle  of  Venus. 

CYPRUS:    AGED  40-50. 

IN  Cyprus  Paul  found  the  same  worship  of  Greek  idols,  and  of 
the  moon  and  stars,  with  which  he  was  familiar  in  Tarsus 
and  Antioch,  and  the  same  wickedness  connected  with  their 
temples ;  but  whereas  Apollo,  the  idol  of  the  sun,  was  wor- 
shipped in  Antioch,  Venus,  the  idol  of  lovely  womanhood,  was 
the  favourite  over  all  the  island. 

The  priests  told  a  wonderful  story,  which  the  people  believed, 
that  long  ago,  Venus,  as  a  lovely  woman,  rose  out  of  the  foam  of 
the  blue  waves,  and  landing  upon  the  sandy  beach,  made  her 
home  ever  after  on  the  beautiful  island.  This  made  the  people 
think  more  of  the  idol  Venus,  particularly  as  some  said  that  it 
was  the  cause  of  the  Cyprus  women  being  so  tall  and  comely.  It 
is  more  likely,  however,  that  it  was  because  of  the  beauty  of  these 
women  that  the  story  of  Venus  and  the  waves  arose. 


184  THROUGH    THE    ISLE    OF    VENUS. 

A  great  holiday  festival  in  honour  of  the  birthday  of  Yenus 
was  held  there  in  spring,  when  the  sunshine  was  brightest,  the 
woods  greenest,  and  the  valleys  gay  as  rose  gardens  with  wild 
flowers.  The  fair  is  held  still,  and  girls  of  Cyprus  think  it  will 
bring  them  husbands  if  they  attend.  It  was  an  island  to  be 
envied,  and  had  belonged  to  the  Phoenicians,  Persians,  Egyptians, 
Macedonians,  Greeks,  and  Romans  in  turn.  Seven  hundred  years 
ago  it  was  taken  by  King  Richard  of  England;  but  it  became 
Turkish  again,  until  twenty  years  ago,  when  it  was  bought  by 
Great  Britain. 

Barnabas  knew  the  kind  of  people  they  had  come  among. 
We  do  not  read  that  Paul  preached  to  the  foreigners  who  crowded 
the  streets  and  wharfs,  but  he  went  to  the  Jewish  synagogues, 
of  which  there  were  several,  and  when,  after  the  reading,  the 
time  came  to  speak,  he  rose  and  told  them  of  the  new  gospel  of 
Jesus.  He  would  tell  them  that  he  was  trained  as  a  rabbi,  and 
had  persecuted  Christians,  until  there  came  a  vision  which  changed 
his  life ;  and  of  the  young  Galilean  who  was  crucified  only  a  few 
years  ago  at  Jerusalem  and  rose  again.  We  do  not  know  what 
he  said,  but  this  is  part  of  what  he  afterwards  wrote  : — 

"  What  shall  we  say  to  these  things  1  If  God  be  for  us,  who 
can  be  against  us  ?  God,  who  spared  not  His  own  Son,  but  gave 
Him  up  for  us,  shall  He  not  freely  give  us  all  things?  Who 
shall  be  able  to  condemn  God's  people  ?  If  He  makes  them  just, 
who  shall  condemn  them  ?  Jesus  the  Christ,  who  died,  who  was 
raised  from  the  dead,  who  is  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  pleads 
for  us.  Who  can  separate  us  from  His  love?  Shall  trouble,  or 
anguish,  persecution,  famine,  nakedness,  peril,  or  the  sword?  It 
is  written  in  the  Psalms — 

"  For  Thy  sake  we  are  killed  all  the  day  long  ; 
We  are  counted  as  sheep  for  the  slaughter. 

"  But  in  these  things  we  are  more  than  conquerors  through 
Jesus  who  loved  us.  For  I  am  certain  that  neither  death  nor  life, 
angels  or  princes,  things  present  or  to  come,  height,  depth,  or  any 
other  thing,  shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God, 
which  is  in  Jesus  the  Christ,  our  Lord." 

In  the  dark  synagogues,  with  the  vine  and  leaves  over  the 
door,  they  listened  to  him  as  to  one  who  gave  them  something  new 
to  think  about ;  but  we  do  not  read  that  they  either  believed  or 
did  not  believe  what  he  said  in  Salamis. 

After  spending  some  days  in  this  town,  with  the  high  walls 
round  it,  open  only  to  the  harbour  and  the  sea,  Paul  and  Barnabas 
bade  farewell  to  their  friends,  and  started  to  travel  from  end  to 
end  of  the  island,  and  preach  to  their  Jewish  countrymen  wherever 


THROUGH    THE    ISLE    OF    VENUS.  185 

they  should  find  them — at  the  salt  and  ore  mines,  the  quarries, 
the  factories,  the  villages.  Their  road  lay  up  a  broad  valley,  with 
fields  and  vineyards  on  each  side,  that  reached  to  the  middle  of 
the  island.  Looking  back,  they  saw  the  blue  bay  in  front  of 
Salamis,  where  long  ago  the  Greeks,  Egyptians,  and  Persians 
fought  a  great  sea-fight,  while  the  people  watched  from  the 
hill.  Before  them  was  a  chain  of  mountains  clothed  with  green 
myrtles,  glossy  oaks,  and  tapering  cedars,  under  peaks  of  white 
rock  that  glittered,  though  not  so  white  as  the  snow-cap  on  Mount 
Olympus.  There  were  many  villages  in  the  midst  of  the  island ; 
for  salt  was  dug  from  the  damp  caves,  and  copper  ore  from  the 
red  cliff's,  while  gold,  silver,  and  rare  and  precious  kinds  of  stone 
were  found  among  the  rocks.  In  the  green  plains  there  were 
flocks  of  sheep  and  herds  of  goats ;  so  that  the  travellers  saw 
many  people,  although  they  do  not  seem  to  have  preached  any- 
where but  in  synagogues. 

It  would  take  some  weeks  to  walk  through  the  island — sleep- 
ing sometimes  in  a  miner's  hut,  sometimes  in  a  shepherd's  black 
tent,  sometimes  in  the  open  air  under  the  sparkling  stars.  Having 
crossed  the  high  ridge  of  hills,  they  left  white  Olympus  behind 
them,  and  passed  down  a  long  valley  that  opened  out  till  it  dis- 
closed the  city  of  Paphos  at  the  mouth,  and  the  blue  sea  beyond. 
On  the  shell-strewn  shore  of  this  little  bay  Venus  was  said  to  have 
landed  after  her  bathe ;  and  Paul  would  hear  that  the  white 
temple,  with  its  pillars  shining  in  the  sun,  upon  a  rising  ground 
near  the  beach,  marked  the  spot  where  she  stepped  on  shore,  and 
was  called  her  temple. 

A  mile  further  inland  there  was  a  grander  temple  to  Apollo, 
the  ruins  of  which  can  still  be  seen.  When  Paul  saw  that  temple 
it  was  roofed,  and  surrounded  by  tall  white  pillars,  with  broad 
steps  leading  up  from  the  grounds,  by  which  the  priests  ascended 
and  the  people  came  with  gifts.  Hundreds  of  figures  of  the  beauti- 
ful Yenus  were  set  up  in  this  and  other  cities,  but  in  her  own 
temple  there  was  no  figure  of  a  graceful  woman  in  snowy  marble. 
In  the  Holy  of  Holies  at  Jerusalem  there  was  only  a  rude  block 
of  stone,  and  so  in  the  innermost  shrine  of  this  temple  there  was 
a  coarse  cone  of  white  marble — a  thing  to  make  worshippers 
smile,  were  it  not  for  the  army  of  priests  who  guarded  it  and 
told  lies  about  it. 

After  spending  weeks  among  hills  and  valleys,  vineyards  in 
tender  leaf,  and  fields  rippling  with  grain,  Paul  was  again  in  an 
ancient  city  surrounded  with  stone  walls,  and  was  seeking  for  the 
Jews'  quarter,  where  his  countrymen  lived  in  streets  together. 
He  saw  men  of  different  countries  as  he  passed  along  the  broad 


186        SERGIUS  PAULUS,  THE  GOVERNOR. 

streets ;  not  there,  as  at  Salamis,  to  buy  and  sell  fruit,  and  wines, 
and  precious  ores,  but  to  visit  the  white  temple  a  mile  behind 
them.  There,  too,  were  the  fashionable  ladies  of  the  city,  being 
carried  about  on  couches,  in  their  bright  robes  of  deep  purple,  sea- 
green,  pale  blue,  and  rose  ;  their  dark  hair  braided  with  gold  bands 
and  bright  ribbons,  their  eyelashes  blackened,  their  finger-tips — 
and  sometimes  their  hair  also — dyed  a  bright  orange  colour  with 
henna :  a  curious  fashion  of  the  island,  which  had  spread  to  the 
ladies  of  the  mainland. 

This  was  the  capital,  with  the  great  white  temple  as  its  chief 
attraction;  and  here  the  Roman  governor  had  his  palace,  his 
court,  and  his  amusements,  and  Paul  was  soon  to  meet  him  in  the 
company  of  a  strange  countryman  of  his  own. 


Sergius  Paulus,   the  Governor. 

CYPRUS:    AGED  40-50. 

SERGIUS  PAULUS,  the  Roman  governor  of  Cyprus,  was  a 
cultured  man  of  good  family.  He  took  an  interest  in  the 
science  and  philosophy  of  the  time,  and  in  the  minerals,  valuable 
stones,  and  products  of  the  island,  and  wrote  about  them.  Science 
and  philosophy  were  often  only  other  names  for  tricks  and  lies ; 
and  magicians,  sorcerers,  astrologers,  and  other  mystery  men  were 
attracted  to  his  court,  where  they  sought  to  explain  their  opinions 
and  show  off  their  skill.  Such  things  served  to  enliven  the  years 
of  his  governorship,  which  were  a  kind  of  banishment  to  him  after 
living  in  Rome. 

As  usual  in  a  city  where  there  were  Jews,  Paul  began  his 
teaching  in  the  little  synagogue,  telling  them  of  the  Son  of  God, 
who  was  the  Christ  promised  in  their  Bible.  We  have  no  record 
of  what  he  said,  but  this  is  part  of  what  he  wrote  about  Jews 
and  foreigners  : — 

"  Trouble  and  pain  will  be  to  every  man  who  does  evil ;  but 
glory,  honour,  and  peace  to  every  man  who  does  good,  whether 
they  be  Jews  or  strangers  :  for  there  is  no  respect  of  persons  with 
God.  Strangers  who  have  sinned  without  knowing  the  Jewish 
law  shall  perish  without  law  ;  Jews  who  have  come  under  the 
law,  and  have  sinned  against  it,  will  be  judged  by  the  law  (for  it 
is  not  the  hearers  but  the  keepers  of  the  law  who  are  just  before 
God.  Strangers  who  are  ignorant  of  the  Jewish  law,  and  do 
naturally  the  things  of  the  law,  are  a  law  to  themselves,  having 


SERGIUS  PAULUS,  THE  GOVERNOR.        187 

the  law  in  their  heart,  their  conscience  and  their  reason  bearing 
witness,  and  accusing  or  excusing  them),  in  that  day  when  God 
shall  judge  the  secrets  of  men  according  to  what  has  been  said  in 
the  gospel  of  Jesus  the  Christ." 

Among  his  countrymen  he  met  one  called  Elymas,  who  said 
he  was  a  magician  who  could  work  magic,  and  that  his  religion 
had  to  do  with  star-worship ;  but  Paul  said  he  was  a  false  Jew. 
Elymas  was  in  favour  with  the  Roman  governor,  who  liked  talk- 
ing with  him. 

Some  one  told  the  governor  of  the  preaching  in  the  syna- 
gogue of  certain  newly-arrived  Jews  of  Antioch,  and  as  it  seemed 
different  from  anything  he  had  ever  heard,  he  sent  a  command 
to  Paul  and  Barnabas  to  come  and  see  him  at  the  palace.  How 
to  place  the  gospel  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  with  its  faith  in  a  God 
unseen,  before  a  cultured  and  open-minded  Roman  accustomed 
to  the  idols  of  Greece  and  Rome,  was  not  an  easy  thing ;  for 
Romans  prided  themselves  upon  their  strength  of  mind,  and 
smiled  at  matters  of  faith  and  belief,  calling  them  foolish  super- 
stitions and  wild  fanaticism. 

Through  the  palace  gardens  of  trees  and  statues  Paul  went  in 
his  brown  cloak,  with  the  tall  Barnabas  and  the  younger  Mark, 
to  wait  on  the  governor,  who  liked  to  receive  clever  men  of  all 
kinds,  for  he  smiled  on  all.  With  naked  feet  upon  the  coloured 
floor  of  inlaid  tiles,  the  three  travellers  stood  before  him,  as  he 
reclined  on  a  low  couch  in  his  airy  room.  He  would  not  be 
alone.  His  wife,  in  robes  of  soft  rose,  would  be  there  also,  in- 
terested and  attracted,  as  many  educated  Roman  ladies  were,  by 
the  mystic  Jewish  religion  of  the  living,  unseen  God.  Officers  in 
gold-braided  tunics  of  purple  and  crimson,  and  notable  men  of 
the  city,  who  came  to  the  governor's  receptions,  and  men  who 
advocated  strange  religions,  curious  beliefs,  and  wonderful  sciences, 
would  also  be  there,  for  there  was  something  new  to  be  heard. 

The  governor  would  tell  Paul  in  courteous  words  that  he  had 
heard  about  him  and  his  teaching,  and  being  interested  in  such 
things,  he  had  sent  for  him,  that  he  might  hear  and  judge  for 
himself.  And  the  governor  would  be  pleased  to  learn  that  he  had 
before  him  a  Roman  citizen  of  Tarsus  and  scholar  of  Jerusalem. 

He  was  now  about  to  address  for  the  first  time  a  high  Roman 
officer  of  education,  and  we  can  imagine  with  what  skill  he  would 
touch  upon  the  well-known  points  of  Roman  character — for  Paul, 
too,  was  a  Roman  born — their  love  of  truth,  justice,  and  law,  their 
openness  to  reason  and  conviction,  their  toleration  of  all  religions, 
and  their  belief  in  man's  need  of  a  God.  He  would  then  unfold 
his  gospel  of  the  new  way  and  the  higher  life,  as  shown  in  Jesus, 


188  ELYMAS,    THE    MAGICIAN. 

and  contrast  faith  in  a  living  God  with  the  worship  of  dead  images, 
or  equally  dead  moons  and  stars,  or  a  life  without  faith  in  any- 
thing. The  fair-minded  Roman  was  impressed  with  the  power  of 
this  travelling  Jew,  wdiose  cultured  sentences  pleased  his  ear,  and 
whose  bright  grey  eyes  thrilled  him  every  time  their  glances 
met ;  and  he  would  offer  Paul  and  his  friends  bread,  and  fruit, 
and  wine  before  they  left  the  palace. 


Elymas,   the  Magician. 

CYPKUS:    AGED   40-50. 

THE  wonderful  story  of  the  living  God,  and  Jesus  crucified 
by  Pontius  Pilate,  governor  of  Judea  (who  might  be  alive 
still,  for  it  was  only  eighteen  years  ago),  and  the  impressive  words 
of  Paul,  clung  to  the  governor's  mind,  and  he  thought  much  over 
them.  Faith  in  Jesus  the  Galilean  would  give  a  moral  centre  to 
his  thoughts,  and  lift  his  life  to  a  higher  level  for  His  sake — a 
level  such  as  Romans  were  not  used  to  strive  after.  He  talked 
to  Elymas  about  his  Jewish  countryman  in  the  brown  cloak,  who 
spoke  so  impressively  and  wisely ;  but  the  magician  would  tell 
him  that  Paul's  ideas  were  not  those  of  the  Jewish  religion,  and 
that  it  was  foolish  to  speak  of  the  Christ  as  being  crucified. 

Sergius  Paulus  thought  the  two  Jews  should  meet  face  to  face — 
the  mysterious,  magical,  gesticulating  Jew,  with  his  rhymes  and 
incantations,  his  spells  and  compounds,  who  said  he  knew  the 
secrets  of  the  heavens,  and  could  read  the  stars  like  a  book ;  and 
the  plain  traveller  in  the  striped  kerchief  and  brown  cloak,  who 
spoke  calmly  of  truth  and  righteousness,  temperance,  God  and 
His  Son  the  Christ,  of  a  resurrection  and  a  judgment,  with  warn- 
ing hand  uplifted  and  eyes  that  glowed. 

They  met  before  the  governor.  Paul  spoke ;  Elymas  denied 
what  he  said,  growing  ever  more  bold  and  truculent;  and  the 
Roman  listened.  And  as  he  listened  to  reasoning  like  this,  his 
face  grew  thoughtful  towards  the  Christian,  and  stern  towards 
the  sorcerer, — 

"The  gospel  that  tells  of  the  death  of  Jesus  on  the  cross 
appears  to  be  foolishness  to  men  who  are  perishing,  but  it  is  the 
power  of  God  to  us  who  are  being  saved.  It  is  written  in  our 
Bible  that  God  will  destroy  the  wisdom  of  the  wise,  and  reject 
the  thoughts  of  the  prudent.  Where  stands  the  wise  man,  the 
writer  and  the  disputer  of  this  age  1     Has  Hot  God  made  foolish 


ELYMAS,    THE    MAGICIAN.  189 

the  wisdom  of  the  world,  seeing  that  by  its  wisdom  it  knew 
Him  not  ?  But  it  is  God's  good  pleasure,  through  this  preaching 
which  is  called  foolish,  to  save  them  that  believe.  The  Jews  ask 
for  wonders,  and  the  Greeks  seek  wisdom ;  but  we  preach  the 
Christ  crucified,  a  thing  which  ojSends  Jews,  and  sounds  like 
foolishness  to  Greeks  :  but  to  them  who  hearken,  both  Jews  and 
Greeks,  He  is  the  Christ,  the  power  and  the  wisdom  of  God.  For 
the  foolishness  of  God  is  wiser  than  the  wisdom  of  man,  and  the 
weakness  of  God  is  stronger  than  man's  strength." 

The  discussion  was  sharp,  the  controversy  keen,  Jew  against 
Jew,  for  the  possession  of  this  Roman's  open  mind ;  and  standing 
round  them  on  the  coloured  pavement  were  the  governor's  friends, 
deeply  interested  as  speech  and  reply,  question  and  answer,  flashed 
from  man  to  man.  As  he  disputed  with  this  false  countryman, 
who  would  admit  nothing,  and  swept  away  everything  with  glib 
lies,  even  the  sacred  name  and  character  of  Jesus  his  beloved 
Master,  something  of  the  old  spirit,  that  had  slumbered  for  twenty 
years,  rose  up  within  Paul — the  spirit  of  conviction  and  conver- 
sion by  blows.  His  temper  was  rapidly  overtopping  his  patience. 
He  could  stand  no  longer  this  lying  juggler,  this  renegade  Jew. 
Gazing  at  him,  with  hands  clenched  and  eyes  that  burned  with 
anger,  he  exclaimed, — 

"O  full  of  all  guile  and  villany,  you  son  of  the  devil,  you 
enemy  of  all  that  is  right,  will  you  not  cease  to  twist  the  right 
ways  of  the  Lord  ?  ISTow,  see,  the  hand  of  the  Lord  is  upon  you, 
and  you  shall  be  blind,  and  not  see  the  sun  for  a  time  ! "  And  we 
are  told  that  Elymas  was  overwhelmed,  and  that  a  mist  of  blind- 
ness came  upon  his  eyes,  so  that  he  could  not  see  where  to  go,  and 
holding  out  his  hands,  he  asked  to  be  led  away. 

The  Roman  governor  had  from  the  first  been  deeply  impressed 
with  Paul's  speaking,  and  what  took  place  that  day  settled  his 
mind.  Risinoj  from  his  couch,  he  told  Paul  that  he  was  astonished 
at  his  teaching,  and  that  he  believed  in  Jesus. 

We  are  not  told  whether  Sergius  Paulus  ever  openly  became  a 
Christian,  but  there  is  little  doubt  that  Paul  and  Barnabas  would 
be  frequent  visitors  at  his  palace  during  their  stay  in  Paphos,  and 
that  before  they  left  they  had  answered  many  questions  from  the 
cultured  Roman,  and  had  expounded  to  him  the  life  of  temper- 
ance, goodness,  and  peace  which  was  required  of  him  as  a  believer 
in  the  living  God  and  Jesus  His  Son.  And  when  Sergius  Paulus 
returned  to  Rome,  he  would  be  able  to  speak  of  Jesus  and  His 
sayings  as  he  had  learned  them  from  the  travelling  Jews  who 
visited  Cyprus  while  he  was  governor  there. 


190  IN   AN   OPEN   BOAT. 

In  an  Open  Boat. 

PAPHOS  :    AGED  40-50. 

THE  good  impression  which  Paul  made  upon  the  Roman  gov- 
ernor would  help  the  Jews  and  their  religion  in  the  city, 
and  when  Paul  spoke  he  would  be  listened  to  with  respect,  as  the 
friend  of  the  governor.  What  he  said  at  these  synagogue  meetings 
we  are  not  told,  but  we  can  see  from  his  later  addresses  and  his 
letters  that  he  would  speak  like  a  trained  rabbi.  His  letters  read 
like  addresses  dictated  with  animation  and  enthusiasm.  We  can 
picture  his  countrymen  sitting  on  their  little  mats  on  the  floor, 
with  bowed  heads,  as  he  spoke  to  them  in  words  like  these : — 

"  0  the  depth  of  the  riches  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of 
God  !  How  deep  are  His  judgments ;  His  ways  are  past  finding 
out !  Isaiah  wrote.  Who  has  known  the  mind  of  God  ?  who 
has  been  His  adviser  ?  Who  gave  to  Him  first,  and  it  shall  be 
given  back  to  him?  Of  Him,  and  in  Him,  and  through  Him, 
are  all  things,  and  to  Him  be  the  glory  for  evermore. 

"  I  therefore  beseech  you,  by  the  mercy  of  God,  to  offer  your- 
selves like  living  sacrifices,  holy  and  well  pleasing  to  Him,  in  your 
spiritual  worship.  Do  not  shape  your  lives  according  to  the  ways 
of  this  world,  but  be  changed  by  the  renewing  of  your  minds,  that 
you  may  prove  to  others  what  is  the  good,  acceptable,  and  perfect 
will  of  God." 

After  spending  some  months  in  beautiful  Cyprus,  during  which 
the  spring,  with  its  brilliant  sunshine  and  soft  breezes,  passed  into 
the  quivering  heat  of  summer,  with  yellow  harvests  in  the  fields 
and  red  grapes  among  the  vines,  they  prepared  to  leave  the  island 
home  of  Barnabas  and  go  on  their  journey. 

The  boat  was  hired  for  a  voyage  of  two  days  and  a  night, 
westward  over  the  blue  sea,  and  Paul  found  friends  ready  to  go 
with  him  besides  Barnabas  and  Mark.  They  were  going  back 
to  the  mainland,  not  to  Antioch,  but  to  the  coast  of  Pamphylia, 
another  Roman  province,  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  distant, 
about  the  size  of  Devonshire,  and  only  one  hundred  miles  from 
Paul's  own  province  of  Cilicia.  Waiting  for  a  fair  wind,  they 
would  start  in  the  early  morning,  ere  the  mists  had  been  scattered 
from  Mount  Olympus,  and  with  sail  hoisted  to  the  wind,  they 
glided  out  of  the  harbour  of  Paphos,  and  were  at  once  in  the  open 
sea,  with  nothing  between  them  and  Pamphylia.  They  could  see 
the  line  of  the  white-tipped  Taurus  mountains,  but  they  steered 
for  a  more  distant  part  of  the  coast,  hid  as  yet  from  view. 


IN    AN    OPEN    BOAT.  191 

They  would  be  in  what  we  should  call  a  coasting  boat,  with 
one  tall  mast,  and  a  sail  that  stood  up  higher  than  the  mast, 
partly  decked  over  at  bow  and  stern  to  give  shelter  from  the 
sun  and  a  sleeping-place  in  cold  or  wet  weather. 

All  day  they  sailed,  amid  curling  waves  and  dashing  spray ; 
and  when  the  red  sun  went  down  in  the  sea  to  the  west,  Cyprus 
had  faded  to  a  low  purple  island,  and  the  hills  of  Pamphylia  showed 
a  rugged  line  of  blue.  When  they  slept,  it  would  be  wrapped  in 
their  cloaks  under  the  bulging  sail,  whose  peak,  as  it  swayed  to 
and  fro,  seemed  to  touch  the  throbbing  stars  and  the  flashing 
moon  that  turned  the  waves  to  silver.  And  when  the  breath  of 
dawn  came,  they  were  in  the  wide  Gulf  of  Attalia,  with  hills  on 
each  side  and  level  country  before  them.  Beyond  the  plains  were 
rugged  mountains,  with  patches  of  blue  pines  and  white  and  grey 
rocks,  and  waterfalls  foaming  down  to  the  sea. 

In  a  bay  to  the  left,  upon  a  white  cliff  washed  by  the  sea, 
were  the  walls  of  Attalia  ;  but  they  were  not  going  thither.  Steer- 
ing for  the  mouth  of  the  Oestrus,  the  sail  was  pulled  down,  and 
long,  heavy  oars  thrust  out,  to  row  them  for  eight  miles  up  the 
river  to  the  large  town  of  Perga.  The  river-sides  were  covered 
with  trees  and  high  bushes  of  myrtle  and  acacia,  dipping  green 
streamers  into  the  water.  Golden-crested  hoopoes  strutted  on  the 
sandbanks,  and  grey  herons  stood  as  if  asleep  in  the  water,  while 
blue-winged  jays  and  white- breasted  swallows  flew  from  one  side 
to  another. 

At  a  bend  of  the  river  Perga  came  into  view,  in  a  valley 
between  wooded  hills.  Its  grey  walls  surrounded  a  castle,  an 
open-air  theatre,  and  a  racecourse  to  amuse  the  people ;  while  on 
a  hill  outside  stood  a  white-pillared  temple  of  Diana,  tlie  huntress 
of  the  silver  bow,  and  by  the  river-side  were  stone  wharfs  for 
shipping.  This  was  the  end  of  their  second  voyage,  and  paying 
the  boatman,  they  landed  on  the  quay. 

The  town  was  well  built,  with  paved  streets,  and  square  stone 
houses  after  the  Greek  fashion ;  and  the  travellers  would  find 
countrymen  in  the  Jews'  quarter  to  take  them  into  their  homes. 

We  do  not  read  that  Paul  went  to  the  synagogue,  for  he  left 
the  town  very  soon.  The  heat  at  Perga  in  summer  is  almost  un- 
bearable, and  strangers  are  liable  to  fever,  and  it  is  thought  that 
he  fell  ill  there.  Indeed,  it  was  so  unhealthy  that  it  was  the 
custom  for  all  who  were  able  to  do  so  to  leave  the  low  plains  in 
flaming  summer  and  go  up  to  the  mountains  above  for  coolness. 
Shepherds  drove  their  sheep  and  goats  up  higher  to  keep  them 
alive.  Paul  wished  to  go  up  to  the  mountains,  but  Mark  would 
not  go.     We  do  not  know  why.     Perhaps  he  only  meant  to  go  to 


192  HOT    PLAINS    AND    COOL    MOUNTAINS. 

Cyprus,  and  Paul  had  changed  their  plans  in  going  further ;  or  he 
may  have  been  afraid  of  the  robbers  and  wild  beasts  of  these  moun- 
tain gorges,  or  perhaps  he  was  anxious  about  his  mother,  left  in 
Jerusalem.  Barnabas  was  willing  to  go  on,  but  Mark  would  not; 
and  bidding  them  farewell,  he  sailed  back  to  Csesarea  and  Jeru- 
salem. Paul  did  not  like  this — it  was  like  deserting  his  friends ; 
but  Barnabas  took  a  gentler  view  of  his  nephew's  conduct. 


Hot  Plains  and  Cool   Mountains. 

PERGA  :    AGED  40-50. 

IN  his  letters  Paul  speaks  of  a  kind  of  illness  which  gave  him 
severe  pain,  and  he  suffered  much  at  this  time  in  the  heat 
and  fever  of  Perga ;  but  Barnabas,  the  Levite,  who  was  a  strong, 
good-looking  man,  does  not  seem  to  have  suffered.  We  can  picture 
the  strong  man  helping  his  flushed  and  drooping  companion  on 
to  the  ass's  back  that  was  to  carry  him  up  to  a  healthier  region 
where  he  might  recover.  Going  for  safety  with  a  company  of 
merchants,  shepherds,  and  travellers — men  and  women,  children 
and  animals — they  would  begin  the  hard  climb  up  to  the  higher 
country  by  a  well-known  stony  track,  worn  bare  by  the  feet  of 
countless  heavy-laden  horses,  asses,  and  camels. 

The  pasture-lands  of  the  shepherds  were  yellow  with  the  fierce 
heat  as  they  rode  up  the  Oestrus  valley,  but  the  river  foamed 
through  black  rocks.  Crossing  over  by  a  rude  stone  bridge,  they 
climbed  up  until  they  reached  a  level  plain,  and  then  they  had  a 
backward  view  down  the  gorge  of  amazing  beauty. 

Spread  out  below  was  the  wide  plain  of  fields,  woods,  and  silver 
coils  of  the  river,  and  stretching  round  the  bay  dark  hills  clasped 
a  basin  of  brilliant  blue  from  the  Mediterranean  that  faded  in  a 
pearly  haze.  Towns  and  white  villages  hung  upon  the  cliffs  or 
spread  along  the  shores.     It  was  a  beautiful  but  unhealthy  land. 

The  view  closed  behind  them  as  they  toiled  up  the  stony 
track,  now  over  the  marble  shoulder  of  a  bare  hill,  now  through 
a  stifling  gorge,  where  the  rocky  clefts  were  clad  with  cypress, 
juniper,  and  poplar  trees,  and  spreading  sycamores  covered  the 
level  spots.  It  was  a  land  of  green  woods,  white  falls,  glisten- 
ing peaks,  and  slopes  of  tumbled  rocks,  wilder  and  grander  than 
the  passes  of  Scotland. 

At  noon,  when  the  heat  was  fiercest,  the  travellers  would 
dismount,  and  finding  the  shade  of  cave  or  tree,  lie  down  and 


HOT   PLAINS    AND    COOL   MOUNTAINS.  193 

sleep,  to  ride  on  again  in  the  afternoon.  At  night  they  would 
seek  tbe  safety  of  the  house  for  strangers  in  the  village,  which 
marked  the  end  of  the  first  day's  journey.  It  was  only  an  open 
square,  built  for  protection,  not  comfort ;  and  there,  in  a  crowd 
of  quarrelling  travellers,  noisy  cattle,  and  yelping  dogs,  they  would 
prepare  their  food  by  the  light  of  blazing  pine-knots,  and  lie  down 
in  their  thick  cloaks  to  sleep  in  the  open  air. 

They  were  now  among  mountains  and  lawless  mountain  people, 
who  lived  in  tribes  and  bands,  and  would  rob  them  by  day  if 
they  could.  If  they  camped  at  night  away  from  a  village,  they 
would  not  lie  down  without  heaping  twigs  and  branches  upon 
the  camp  fire  until  the  flame  leaped  up,  to  scare  away  the  lions, 
tigers,  wolves,  and  hyenas  that  they  heard  roaring  and  howling 
in  the  distance.  In  Paul's  letters  he  speaks  of  having  been  in 
perils  from  robbers  and  wild  beasts,  and  while  we  do  not  know 
that  they  were  attacked  on  this  journey,  there  is  no  doubt  they 
were  in  daily  danger. 

In  three  or  four  days  they  would  reach  Adada,  surrounded 
with  thick  forests,  and  leaving  by  a  wild  pass  through  the  lonely 
hills,  would  see  the  mountain  lake  of  Karolis,  with  forty  miles  of 
blue  water  dotted  with  islands.  Descending  from  the  hills  at  the 
northern  end,  they  travelled  on  towards  Neapolis.  They  were  now 
up  amongst  the  cities  of  the  mountains,  and  had  passed  the  wildest 
and  most  dangerous  part  of  their  journey. 

A  full  week  of  weariness  and  pain  to  Paul,  spent  in  riding  up 
slippery,  rocky  paths,  across  rapid  streams,  and  through  hot  glens, 
and  of  anxiety  to  Barnabas,  whose  strong  arm  would  often  be 
needed  to  keep  his  drooping  companion  in  the  saddle,  had  brought 
them  to  the  healthy  air  and  cooling  winds  of  the  highlands. 

From  Neapolis  a  paved  Roman  road  of  twenty  miles  extended 
to  Pisidian  Antioch,  whither  they  were  going,  at  the  foot  of  the 
range  called  the  Sultan  Hills.  It  was  the  largest  city  and  chief 
fortress  of  the  district  of  Pisidia,  in  which  they  were,  and  had 
once  been  Greek,  but  was  now  a  centre  for  Roman  soldiers. 
Partly  built  on  the  slope  of  the  hills,  its  walls  were  thick  and 
high,  with  low  arches  for  the  gates,  so  that  it  was  a  vast 
mountain  castle.  But  it  had  the  usual  open-air  theatre  and 
racecourse,  and  a  temple  to  the  moon,  and  another  to  Bacchus ; 
and  as  the  great  buildings  were  of  white  marble  cut  from  the 
hills  behind,  they  looked  clear  and  bright  in  the  sunshine.  Be- 
hind the  city,  the  hills  were  clothed  with  hardy  fir,  ash,  and  oak, 
that  withstood  the  severe  winters  ;  but  southwards,  the  view  from 
the  walls  was  of  grassy  plains,  glens,  woods,  and  soft  hills,  that 
rose  up  to  a  magnificent  circle  of  jagged  peaks  against  the  sky. 

a.o4o)  13 


194  SPEAKING    IN    A    SYNAGOGUE. 

This  was  the  great  mountain  city  which  our  travellers  reached, 
after  toiling  up  a  hundred  miles  from  the  sea,  through  wild  and 
dangerous  gorges. 

Of  course  they  found  Jews  there,  ready  to  take  them  in ;  for 
they  were  in  all  trading  cities,  and  it  was  a  part  of  their  religion 
to  shelter  countrymen  when  they  came  to  a  strange  place.  Here 
the  travellers  were  to  remain  for  some  time,  and  amid  the  cool  airs 
of  the  mountains  the  fever  and  pain  from  which  Paul  suffered  so 
acutely  passed  away. 


Speaking  in  a  Synagogue. 

PISIDIAN    ANTIOCH:    AGED   40-50. 

THE  main  road  through  these  mountains  and  high  table-lands 
of  Asia,  from  distant  Ephesus  on  the  west  to  the  Cilician 
gates  above  Tarsus  on  the  east,  passed  through  Pisidian  Antioch ; 
and  as  that  was  the  great  highway  for  the  caravans  of  traders, 
and  for  the  bands  of  Roman  soldiers  who  were  moving  from 
place  to  place,  the  city  was  always  busy,  until  it  was  mantled 
and  sealed  by  the  snow  and  ice  of  winter.  And  when  the  people 
came  up  in  summer  from  the  coast  to  the  hills,  to  get  away  from 
the  terrible  heat  and  malaria,  it  was  crowded. 

In  the  bazaars,  lined  with  booths  shaded  by  a  stretch  of 
brown  cloth,  the  trades-people  sat,  with  their  yellow  shoes  and 
slippers,  their  red  and  white  clay  bowls  and  jugs,  their  long 
bronze  knives  and  keen  daggers,  their  cloth  and  their  jewellery 
around  them,  calling  aloud  to  the  strangers  to  come  and  buy. 
On  market-days  the  country  people  fastened  their  horses  and 
asses  with  ropes  to  pegs  in  the  ground,  while  they  stood  with 
long  sticks  in  their  hands,  watching  their  sheep  and  goats,  their 
cows  and  horses,  brought  in  to  the  market  for  sale. 

And  Paul  worked  like  the  rest,  weaving  his  thick  haircloth, 
and  carrying  it  to  the  bazaar.  Or  he  may  have  worked  with 
some  tentmaker,  shaping  and  sewing  those  thick  tent-covers  which 
he  knew  so  well  how  to  make.  A  true  rabbi,  he  liked  to  work 
for  his  living,  and  be  independent,  while  he  spread  the  free  gospel. 

Following  his  usual  plan,  he  and  Barnabas  attended  the  dimly- 
lit  synagogue,  where  all  were  free  to  speak,  and  there  he  told  his 
countrymen  of  the  new  gospel  of  Jesus  the  Christ.  One  had  been 
a  rabbi,  and  the  other  a  Levite  of  Jerusalem,  and  they  were  listened 
to  by  their  countrymen,  who  were  not  so  intolerant  as  the  Jews 
of  Palestine.     A  Jewish  synagogue  was  the  same  everywhere — 


SPEAKING   IN    A    SYNAGOGUE.  195 

dark  inside,  with  small  windows  to  keep  it  cool,  a  paved  floor 
for  the  men's  mats,  and  a  side  screen  for  the  women  and  children  ; 
a  recess  in  the  wall  nearest  to  Jerusalem,  covered  by  a  curtain  of 
the  temple  colours,  where  hung  the  ever-burning  lamp,  over  the 
box  full  of  Bible  rolls. 

We  now  come  to  Paul's  first  address  which  has  come  down  to 
us.  It  was  the  Jewish  Sunday,  although  the  city  knew  it  not, 
and  the  synagogue  was  crowded  with  Jews,  the  white-haired 
elders  upon  a  raised  place  facing  the  people.  The  prayers  and 
reading  of  the  Bible  were  over.  "Brothers,"  said  the  chief  elder, 
looking  towards  Paul  and  Barnabas,  "if  you  have  any  word  of 
teaching  for  the  people,  say  on." 

Paul  was  ready.  Standing  up,  he  raised  his  hand,  as  a  sign 
to  the  people  to  cease  talking  and  listen.  With  their  blue-tasselled 
praying  shawls  thrown  over  their  heads  or  across  their  shoulders, 
tlie  men  sat  cross-legged  and  barefooted  upon  their  little  mats 
and  carpets,  and  soon  their  eyes  were  fixed  upon  the  stranger  in 
the  grey  tunic  and  striped  kerchief,  Barnabas  sitting  beside  him. 
Paul  speaks,  and  we  find  that  his  address  is  on  the  same  plan 
as  that  of  the  dead  Stephen.  His  first  sentence  shows  that  his 
words  are  for  all,  and  the  men  of  the  city  listen  with  curious  in- 
terest to  his  sketch  of  the  history  of  this  strange  people  the  Jews. 
This  is  part  of  what  he  said  : — 

"Listen,  you  Jews,  and  you  men  who  fear  God.  Our  God 
chose  our  people,  and  raised  them  up  when  they  were  slaves  in 
Egypt,  and  with  a  high  hand  He  brought  them  out.  For  about 
forty  years  He  bore  with  them  in  the  wilderness.  He  destroyed 
seven  nations,  and  gave  them  their  country,  where  they  lived  for 
about  four  hundred  and  fifty  years.  He  gave  them  judges  until 
the  time  of  Samuel  the  prophet,  when  they  asked  for  a  king ;  and 
He  gave  them  Saul,  who  was  king  for  forty  years ;  and  then  He 
gave  them  David  to  be  their  king." 

This  historic  sketch  was  to  introduce  the  name  of  Jesus,  and 
he  continued, — 

"As  promised  in  the  Jewish  Bible,  of  the  descendants  of  this 
King  David,  God  has  brought  a  Saviour  to  our  people — Jesus, 
whom  John  the  Baptist  proclaimed,  telling  of  baptism  and  re- 
pentance to  all  Jews." 

The  coming  of  the  Christ  was  a  thing  which  these  Jews 
yearned  for,  and  they  would  listen  in  perfect  silence  as  he 
went  on, — 

"John  the  Baptist  said,  I  am  not  the  Christ.  But  there 
Cometh  One  after  me,  the  shoes  of  whose  feet  I  am  not  worthy  to 
unloose. 


196  SPEAKING    IN    A    SYNAGOGUE. 

"  Brother  Jews,  and  you  strangers  who  believe  in  God,  these 
words  of  salvation  are  for  us.  The  people  of  Jerusalem  and  their 
rulers  did  not  know  that  Jesus  was  the  Christ,  and  did  not  under- 
stand the  words  of  our  Bible  that  are  read  every  Sabbath  in 
their  synagogues,  but  they  fulfilled  the  prophecies  by  condemning 
Jesus  to  die.  They  found  nothing  deserving  death  in  Him,  yet 
they  asked  Pilate,  the  Boman  governor,  to  crucify  Him.  And 
having  done  this,  they  took  Him  down  from  the  cross  and  buried 
Him." 

Having  told  them  of  Jesus  being  condemned  and  killed  by  the 
people  of  Jerusalem,  as  the  Bible  said  the  Christ  would  be,  he 
unfolded  the  future  life, — 

"But  God  raised  Jesus  from  the  dead,  and  He  was  seen  for 
many  days  by  those  who  came  with  Him  from  Galilee,  and  who 
are  now  the  witnesses  of  these  things  to  the  people." 

He  may  have  pointed  to  Barnabas  as  he  spoke,  for  he  was  a 
witness  from  Jerusalem. 

With  the  skill  of  a  rabbi,  to  prove  his  words  he  repeated 
passages  from  the  Bible  which  every  Jew  associated  with  the 
Christ,  and  then  continued, — 

"  We  bring  you  good  tidings  about  the  promise  of  the  Christ. 
God  has  kept  His  promise  to  us  and  to  our  children  in  raising  up 
Jesus.  Brothers,  let  it  be  known  among  you  that,  through  this 
man  Jesus,  we  proclaim  forgiveness  of  sins.  Every  one  that 
believes  in  Him  is  made  just,  from  the  things  from  which  you 
never  could  be  made  just  by  the  law  of  Moses." 

These  were  startling  words  to  come  from  the  lips  of  a 
Pharisee,  that  faith  in  Jesus  the  Christ  was  greater  than  the 
law  of  Moses.  But  to  a  Jew,  if  Jesus  were  indeed  the  Christ,  all 
things  were  possible  to  Him.  The  elders  shook  their  grey  heads. 
Could  Jesus  the  Nazarene  be  the  Christ?  Pa.ul  ended  with  a 
warning, — 

"Remember  the  saying  of  the  prophet  Habakkuk,  See,  you 
despisers !  Wonder,  and  vanish  away  !  I  work  a  work  in  your 
time  which  you  would  not  believe  though  it  were  told  you." 

He  sat  down,  and  the  people  were  thrilled  and  astonished,  for 
no  more  exciting  thing  could  be  said  in  a  meeting  of  Jews  than 
that  the  Christ  had  appeared.  His  flashing  eyes,  his  voice,  his 
upraised  hand  held  them  listening;  but,  as  usual,  the  dim  syna- 
gogue was  at  once  filled  with  suppressed  talking.  The  Christ 
he  spoke  of  was  a  peasant  of  Galilee ;  they  looked  for  a  prince 
who  would  keep  the  whole  law.  This  was  strange,  new  teaching. 
"  Was  it  true  1 "  they  asked  each  other. 

The  ruler  of  the  synagogue  gave  the  sign  for  the  meeting  to 


A  STRANGE  SYNAGOGUE  SCENE.         197 

break  up,  and  going  over  to  Paul  and  Barnabas,  asked  them  to 
come  back  next  Sabbath  and  repeat  what  had  been  said.  He  was 
not  a  ready  man.  With  a  week's  reflection  and  searching  of  the 
ancient  Scriptures  he  hoped  to  be  able  to  answer  the  strange 
teacher  and  his  new  heresy. 

In  this  synagogue  scene  we  have  a  picture  of  how  Paul  had 
been  putting  the  new  religion  before  his  countrymen,  in  syna- 
gogue after  synagogue,  for  many  years.  In  learned,  touching, 
stirring  language,  he  fearlessly  told  them  that  the  followers  of 
Jesus  had  found  in  Him  the  righteousness  which  could  not  be 
got  under  the  Jewish  religious  law. 


A  Strange  Synagogue  Scene. 

PISIDIAN    ANTIOCH:     AGED    40-50. 

/^UT  from  the  door  of  the  synagogue,  with  the  vine  and  grapes, 
V^  the  people  came  in  their  bright  garments  of  red  and  blue, 
white  and  yellow — the  men  loitering  in  the  sunshine,  the  women 
and  children  hastening  home  by  back  streets,  looking  neither  to 
one  side  nor  to  another.  When  the  figures  of  Barnabas  and  his 
companion  appeared  walking  down  the  narrow  street,  they  were 
followed  by  men  who  had  been  waiting  for  them.  Some  were 
Jews,  some  people  of  the  town,  who  had  turned  from  idols  to  the 
living  God,  and  were  allowed  to  worship  at  the  back  of  the  syna- 
gogue ;  and  they  were  going  home  with  Paul  and  Barnabas  to  hear 
more  about  the  new  religion.  And  there  a  second  meeting  was 
held  of  men,  whom  Paul  and  Barnabas  urged  to  have  faith  in  God 
and  Jesus  the  Christ.  His  address  in  the  synagogue  was  talked 
about  in  every  Jewish  home,  and  the  foreigners  who  heard  it 
spread  the  news  of  the  new  religion,  and  that  this  wonderful 
man  would  speak  again  next  Sabbath  in  the  Jews'  synagogue. 
And  during  the  week,  as  Paul  worked  at  their  trade  of  weaving 
and  tentmaking,  he  would  be  visited  by  his  own  countrymen,  and 
by  people  of  the  city — Greeks  and  Romans,  Pisidians  and  Gala- 
tians ;  and  there  was  a  stir  in  the  city,  for  some  of  the  wives  of 
leading  citizens  believed  in  the  Jewish  religion. 

The  worship  of  the  people  was  the  same  worship  of  Greek 
idols  and  the  starry  skies  with  which  Paul  was  familiar;  the 
priests  and  priestesses,  and  their  servants  and  slaves,  did  not 
care  to  what  wild  and  degrading  scenes  they  invited  the  people, 
so  long  as  they  got  them  to  come  in  crowds  to  their  groves  and 


198         A  STRANGE  SYNAGOGUE  SCENE. 

temples.  So  bad  had  this  become  in  the  white  temple  of  the 
"Moon"  that,  some  time  before  Paul's  visit,  the  Komans  had 
ordered  the  orgies  of  that  temple  to  cease,  and  the  vile  priests 
and  their  slaves  to  be  banished.  They  did  not  believe  in  a 
future,  or  in  living  a  higher  life  here ;  for  the  priests  taught  them 
that  to  eat  and  drink,  and  have  pleasure  and  amusement,  were  the 
chief  things  to  be  sought  after. 

And  so  when  Paul  spoke  calmly  of  a  future  life,  and  of  a  God 
who  would  punish  wickedness,  and  of  the  higher  life  here  of  un- 
selfishness, temperance,  and  truth,  in  Jesus  the  Son  of  God,  the 
people  listened  as  to  a  voice  from  heaven.  When  he  compared 
such  a  life  with  their  drunkenness,  gluttony,  and  worse,  and  their 
kneeling  and  giving  gifts  to  a  carved  block  of  brass  or  stone,  and 
bade  them  turn  from  such  grovelling  wickedness  to  the  living  God 
and  His  Son,  the  people  listened  and  wondered.  Women,  degraded 
and  crushed  by  the  tyranny  of  idolatry,  looked  up,  and  blessed  in 
their  hearts  the  messengers  of  light.  How  different  were  these 
two  travelling  Jews,  in  brown  cloak  and  striped  kerchief,  who 
spoke  of  a  living  God,  from  the  shrieking,  foaming,  drunken,  and 
sometimes  naked  and  bleeding  priests  of  Cybele,  who  danced  and 
yelled  in  the  streets,  exciting  with  their  horrid  gestures  the  youths 
of  the  town  to  follow  them. 

And  so  next  Sabbath,  not  only  Jews  but  foreigners  came 
again  to  hear  the  strange  new  gospel ;  and  the  quiet  synagogue 
was  crowded,  and  many  could  not  get  in.  The  strangers  who 
came  to  the  dim,  whitewashed  building  noticed  its  plainness,  com- 
pared with  their  temples  of  carved  pillar  and  corniced  roof,  and 
wondered  why  there  was  no  image  in  marble  or  gold,  but  only  a 
small  lamp  burning  like  a  star  before  an  embroidered  curtain  of 
purple,  scarlet,  and  white.  They  listened  to  earnest  prayers 
to  the  unseen  God,  and  to  readings  from  the  sacred  book  of  the 
Jews,  to  quiet  blessings  and  low  responses,  so  different  from  the 
wild  scenes  in  their  own  great  temples.  Again  the  ruler  invited 
Paul  to  speak,  and  again  the  man  in  the  grey  tunic,  wearing  a 
traveller's  striped  kerchief,  rose,  with  hand  upraised  for  silence. 
A  glance  of  his  keen,  grey  eyes,  and  he  saw  his  own  countrymen 
sitting  close  packed,  and  strangers  crowding  behind,  out  into  the 
street.  He  was  glad  to  see  those  foreign  faces  ;  but  the  Jews  were 
not,  for  they  were  jealous  of  them,  and  angry  with  Paul,  who  had 
said  they  could  become  Christians. 

Paul  went  over  again  what  he  had  said  last  Sabbath ;  but 
when  he  said  that  Jesus  was  the  promised  Christ,  he  was  inter- 
rupted by  voices  saying  it  was  not  true.  Such  interruptions  were 
common  in  a  synagogue;  and  turning  round,  he  answered  them, 


A  STRANGE  SYNAGOGUE  SCENE.  199 

only  to  be  contradicted  again.  He  was  accustomed  to  this,  and 
was  ready  with  more  answers;  but  they  brought  more  inter- 
ruptions and  fresh  objections  as  he  argued  on.  Soon  the  Jews 
were  dangerously  excited,  and  each  time  he  said  Jesus  was  the 
Christ  the  leaders  denied  it  loudly,  and  a  hoarse  murmur  of  ap- 
proval rose  from  the  men  sitting  on  the  floor.  With  rising  voice, 
first  Paul  and  then  Barnabas  asked  them  to  listen  to  reason  and 
argument ;  but  the  Jews  only  shouted  louder,  and  began  to  jeer 
and  call  Jesus  names,  and  each  name  as  it  sprang  into  the  air  was 
like  a  scourge  across  the  face  to  Paul.  They  had  roused  the  lion 
in  him,  and  turning  to  the  row  of  leading  Jews  sitting  before  the 
lamp,  he  exclaimed  in  a  ringing  voice, — 

"  It  was  necessary  that  the  word  of  God  should  first  be  spoken 
to  you  Jews ;  but  seeing  that  you  will  not  listen,  and  consider 
yourselves  not  fit  for  heaven,  see !  we  turn  to  the  strangers, 
for  so  God  has  commanded  us."  And  with  a  sweep  of  his  naked 
arm  he  pointed  to  the  faces  at  the  door,  where  the  people  of  the 
city  were  in  the  street,  listening,  and  hearing  at  times  the  loud 
tones  of  Paul's  voice,  and  the  hoarse  shouts  within.  "  Remember 
the  words  of  Isaiah,  I  have  set  thee  for  a  light  to  strangers,  to 
be  for  salvation  to  the  furthest  parts  of  the  earth." 

The  Jews  could  not  dispute  these  words,  which  filled  them  with 
deep  indignation  and  rage ;  and  when  they  reached  the  ears  of  the 
people  outside,  they  rejoiced.  When  Paul  and  his  tall  companion 
came  out  of  the  little  door,  they  were  spurned  by  most  of  the 
Jews  ;  but  the  townspeople  welcomed  them,  and  followed  the  two 
men  in  a  crowd  to  their  house,  where  many  joined  the  Christians. 

And  their  house,  which  was  also  their  workshop,  became  the 
centre  of  a  congregation  of  foreign  Christians,  with  a  few  Jews 
among  them.  And  Paul  and  Barnabas  remained  in  the  city  working 
at  their  trade,  and  teaching  the  glorious  gospel  of  Jesus  to  all  about 
them.  Many  who  had  had  no  religion,  and  many  who  wor- 
shipped idols,  came  to  believe  in  the  living  God  and  Jesus  His 
Son,  and  changed  their  lives  and  became  Christians.  We  do  not 
know  what  he  said  to  those  people  of  the  city  who  had  turned  from 
idols,  but  this  is  part  of  what  he  wrote  to  others  : — 

"  If,  then,  you  have  risen  with  Jesus  into  a  higher  life,  seek  the 
things  that  are  above,  where  He  is  seated  on  the  right  hand  of  God. 
Set  your  mind  upon  the  things  that  are  of  heaven,  not  upon  worldly 
things.  For  your  old  life  is  dead,  and  your  new  life  is  hid  with 
Jesus  in  God.  When  He  who  is  our  new  life  is  made  known, 
then  will  you  also  be  with  Him  in  glory.  Therefore  keep  down 
your  earthly  passions,  unfaithfulness,  anger,  greed,  idolatry,  be- 
cause of  which  the  wrath  of  God  comes  upon  the  disobedient,  and 


200  PUT   OUT   OF   THE    CITY. 

which  things  you  also  used  to  do  when  you  lived  among  them. 
Put  away  all  anger,  and  malice,  and  shameful  speaking  out  of 
your  mouth,  and  tell  no  lies  to  each  other,  seeing  that  you  have 
put  off  your  old  life  and  its  doings,  and  put  on  a  new  life,  which  is 
being  kept  new  by  knowledge,  after  the  pattern  of  Jesus.  For 
there  is  no  difference  with  Him  between  Jews  and  foreigners, 
Barbarians,  Scythians,  slaves  or  free  men :  for  the  spirit  of  Jesus 
in  us  all  is  everything." 

And  as  summer  passed  into  the  russet  and  gold  of  autumn, 
they  went  out  among  the  towns  and  villages  in  the  district  of 
Phrygia,  spreading  the  gospel  of  Jesus  everywhere.  And  the 
Christians  of  the  bazaars  carried  the  news  of  the  strange  teaching 
along  the  plains,  into  the  glens,  and  over  the  mountains,  where  it 
was  talked  about  in  the  hamlets  and  homes  of  the  country  people. 
So  that  when  the  fierce  cold  of  winter  came,  and  the  mountain 
roads  were  impassable  with  ice,  and  the  streets  thick  with  trodden 
snow,  not  only  that  great  city  but  all  the  country  round  about 
had  heard  of  the  new  gospel. 


Put  out  of  the  City. 

PISIDIAN   ANTIOCH:    AGED    40-50. 

DUKING  the  months  of  winter  the  city  was  almost  cut  off 
from  communication  with  other  places ;  for  the  roads  were 
snow-blocked,  and  the  view  from  the  walls  was  of  glittering 
peaks  and  white  valleys,  so  that  travelling  ceased.  Even  when 
spring  had  brought  leaves  and  wild-flowers  to  the  coast  plains 
below,  it  was  long  before  the  roads  through  the  gorges  were 
passable,  because  of  the  floods  and  torrents  that  swept  through 
them. 

Paul  and  Barnabas  spent  these  months  of  bitter  frost, 
biting  hail,  and  blinding  snow  within  the  walls  of  the  city,  con- 
firming and  binding  the  Christians  together  into  a  congregation, 
and  teaching  them  how  to  spread  the  gospel.  They  succeeded 
so  well  that  the  Jews  of  the  synagogue  became  alarmed.  They 
thought  that  these  two  men  had  no  right  to  bring  foreigners  into 
a  sect  of  the  Jewish  religion.  But  Paul  and  Barnabas  continued 
to  put  before  the  people  the  higher  life  in  Jesus,  and  to  urge 
them  to  turn  to  the  living  God,  from  idols  and  temples,  where 
lying  and  cheating  were  called  cleverness,  and  honesty  and  truth 
were  considered  foolish. 


PUT    OUT    OF    THE    CITY.  201 

The  temple  orgies  were  attended  mainly  by  men.  The  women 
of  the  city  did  not  like  them,  for  they  did  not  make  the  men  good 
husbands  and  sons.  It  was  no  uncommon  thing  for  the  wives  of 
these  men  to  go  to  the  synagogue,  where  they  heard  about  the 
living  God,  and  listened  to  pure  and  holy  teaching  for  parents 
and  children,  read  out  every  week  from  the  Jewish  Scriptures. 
Some  of  them  had  joined  the  Jewish  religion,  and  that  was  a  great 
thing  to  do  with  so  much  idolatry  going  on  around  them.  The 
Jews  of  the  synagogue  stirred  up  such  of  them  as  were  married 
to  leading  citizens,  to  get  their  husbands  to  have  Paul  and 
Barnabas  banished  from  the  city ;  and  the  women  did  this,  so 
that  Paul  and  Barnabas  could  no  longer  live  quietly. 

They  were  brought  before  the  city  magistrates,  who  ordered 
them  to  cease  teaching  this  new  religion ;  but  they  refused,  and 
then  it  is  most  likely  they  would  get  one  of  those  cruel  beatings 
with  birch-rods  which  Paul  afterwards  mentions,  and  which  would 
leave  them  with  bruised  and  bleeding  backs.  But  punishment 
could  not  stoj)  them,  and  the  magistrates  ordered  them  to  be 
expelled  from  the  city. 

We  can  picture  the  tall,  strong  Levite,  and  his  companion  in 
the  brown  cloak,  with  ragged-looking  guards  on  each  side,  weeping 
friends  around,  and  an  idle  crowd  following,  as  they  were  led  along 
the  paved  streets  through  the  low  arch,  and  thrust  out  of  the 
eastern  gate,  and  along  the  open  road,  until  they  came  to  the  city 
boundaries.  With  a  push  on  the  shoulder,  and  perhaps  a  blow 
from  the  end  of  a  spear,  they  were  ordered  to  go  on,  and  not 
come  back  again  if  they  valued  their  lives.  Their  Jewish  enemies 
would  be  there,  jeering  and  cursing ;  and  the  reply  was  a  very 
Eastern  one.  Untying  their  stout  shoes,  our  two  travellers  shook 
out  the  grains  of  dust  upon  the  road — a  well-known  sign  that  they 
disdained  to  carry  away  even  the  dust  of  their  city  with  them. 
And  thus  the  synagogue  Jews,  who  began  so  well,  got  their  two 
countrymen  turned  out  of  the  city ;  but  it  did  not  terrify  them, 
for  they  were  back  again  in  a  few  months. 

Riding  upon  asses,  with  their  rolls  of  cloth,  and  books,  their 
bundles  of  spare  clothing,  their  water  and  oil  bottles,  and  other 
travellers'  things  stuffed  into  the  saddle-bags,  the  two  travellers 
bade  farewell  to  their  friends,  urging  them  to  hold  fast  to  their 
new  faith,  and  resist  all  temptations  to  return  to  the  worship  of 
idols,  and  took  their  way  down  the  broad  Roman  road  towards 
Neapolis.  A  little  over  six  months  ago  they  had  ridden  up  that 
way,  bringing  Paul  tired  and  ill  from  Perga,  and  they  had  cause 
to  be  of  good  cheer. 

Soon  they  left  the  slope  of  the  mountains,  and  were  riding 


202  PUT   OUT    OF   THE    CITY. 

on  a  level  plain,  where  the  spring  floods  were  disappearing,  and  the 
trees  were  in  green  leaf.  They  would  spend  the  night  in  the  home 
for  strangers  at  Neapolis,  near  the  great  blue  lake  Karalis ;  and  as 
travellers  and  traders  were  now  moving  about  after  the  winter 
storms,  the  place  would  be  thronged  with  laden  camels  with 
jingling  bells,  peddlers  with  their  asses  and  bundles  of  country 
stuffs,  shepherds  with  their  sheep  and  goats,  all  trying  to  get 
the  best  places.  When  darkness  came  on,  clad  in  thick  cloaks 
and  sheep -skin  jackets  with  the  wool  inside,  the  dusky  men, 
with  knives  in  their  belts,  would  sit  round  the  fires  in  the  open 
air,  with  the  wind  sighing  overhead,  and  the  flames  lighting  up 
their  dark  faces,  as  they  ate  their  hard-boiled  eggs  and  black  bread, 
and  drank  sour  milk  and  oil,  with  hungry  yellow  dogs  watching 
every  movement,  and  fighting  for  whatever  was  thrown  away.  It 
was  rough  company  to  be  in,  but  they  were  the  servants  of  God, 
and  without  fear. 

When  the  rising  sun  flushed  the  snow  peaks  with  deepening 
rose,  Paul  and  Barnabas  would  be  up  and  mingling  with  the 
noisy  throng  of  rough  and  poor- looking  travellers,  cooking  food 
at  the  fires  within  the  walled  enclosures,  and  ready  to  start  with 
others.  A  short  distance  out  of  the  town  they  turned  ofl"  the  paved 
Roman  road,  traversed  by  bands  of  soldiers  with  their  mounted 
officers,  and  followed  a  path  over  a  low  range  of  hills  green  with 
trees  and  thickets,  where  they  heard  the  nightingales  before  the 
sun  was  high,  and  saw  the  country  people  in  their  brown  huts 
of  stakes  and  woven  reeds,  which  they  carried  with  them  as  they 
moved  from  place  to  place. 

From  the  top  of  the  hills  they  saw  the  walls  of  Iconium,  forty 
miles  distant.  The  country  between,  of  lakes  and  marshes  in 
winter,  was  now  partly  dried  up,  and  dotted  with  the  black  and 
brown  tents  of  shepherds,  who  came  there  for  the  earliest  grass  for 
their  huge  flocks  of  sheep.  Riding  past  these  wild  men,  they 
heard  the  strange  shepherd  cries  of  alarm  with  which  they  brought 
their  sheep  running  together,  and  the  curious  shrill  notes  of  the 
plaintive  reed  pipes  with  which  they  led  them  away. 

Like  Pisidian  Antioch,  Iconium  was  an  old  walled  city,  in 
the  same  Roman  province.  Built  upon  level  ground,  it  had  two 
peaks  of  grey  rock  rising  behind  its  white  and  yellow  houses, 
and  was  surrounded  with  miles  of  fields,  gardens,  and  orchards, 
where  figs,  dates,  apples,  cherries,  and  grapes  grew  in  plenty, 
the  secret  of  its  fruitfulness  being  the  fine  river  that  flowed  past 
the  town. 

In  following  Paul's  travels,  we  are  impressed  with  the  size  and 
age  of  the  towns  he  visited ;  and  explorers  tell  us  that  the  ruins 


PUT    OUT    OF    THE    CITY.  203 

in  these  parts,  of  places  whose  names  have  been  long  forgotten, 
are  conclusive  proof  of  the  cities  of  crowded  streets  and  splendid 
temples  which  were  to  be  found  only  a  few  days'  journey  from 
each  other.  The  walls  round  Iconium  were  two  miles  long,  with 
low  archways  for  gates  out  to  the  tree -shaded  roads  and  lanes 
that  led  to  the  gardens  and  vineyards  of  the  citizens.  It  was  a 
Roman  garrison,  where  discharged  soldiers  lived  whose  duty  was 
to  chase  the  robbers  back  to  their  dens  who  came  down  from 
the  wild  mountains  to  steal  sheep  and  cattle  from  the  plains. 
For  if  they  got  back  to  the  mountains  with  their  plunder,  no  one 
would  venture  to  follow  them. 

Adonis  and  Cybele  were  the  idols  worshipped  in  Iconium, 
but  many  people  believed  only  in  wealth  and  pleasure.  The 
priests  told  the  people  that  Adonis  was  a  beautiful  shepherd 
youth  who  was  killed,  and  that  a  lovely  maiden  called  Cybele 
brought  him  to  life  again.  And  so  each  year  when  the  blue 
hyacinths  and  tulips,  the  yellow  marigolds  and  anemones,  began 
to  colour  the  brown  grass,  where  they  had  seemed  to  be  dead, 
the  people  spent  weeks  of  feasting  and  drinking,  rejoicing  and 
playing,  in  the  large  temples ;  and  the  priests,  clad  in  armour, 
danced  like  madmen  through  the  streets,  to  the  din  of  blaring 
horns,  crashing  brass  cymbals,  and  hand  drums,  shouting  that 
Adonis  had  come  alive  again.  But  more  touching  was  the  faith 
of  the  young  girls,  who  went  in  procession,  clad  in  white,  their 
loose  hair  decked  with  crimson  flowers ;  for  they  really  believed 
that  somehow,  somewhere,  a  beautiful  maiden  had  won  back  to 
life  a  beautiful  youth.  But  they  never  saw  Adonis,  dead  or  alive, 
and  the  only  resurrection  was  of  green  grass,  crimson  flowers,  and 
nodding  trees. 

Here  thousands  of  Jews  lived  in  their  own  part  of  the  town, 
who  sent  so  many  bags  of  shekels  to  the  far-off"  temple  in  Jeru- 
salem that  the  robbers  heard  of  it,  and  plundered  the  bearers. 
But  they  sent  more,  for  by  the  Jewish  law  every  man  must  send 
his  half-shekel  each  year. 

Riding  through  the  low  archway  into  the  city,  Paul  and  Barna- 
bas sought  the  streets  of  the  Jews,  and  were  welcomed  by  their 
countrymen.  But  they  were  going  to  stay  some  time,  and  would 
seek  out  a  lodging,  where  they  could  weave  cloth,  and  cut  and  sew 
tents,  and  be  a  burden  to  no  one,  while  they  spread  the  glorious 
gospel  of  Jesus. 


204  STONE   THEM  J 

Stone  Them! 

ICONIUM:    AGED    40-50. 

THE  people  of  Iconium  were  so  fond  of  ploughing  and  sowing, 
keeping  sheep,  and  growing  vines,  that  the  old  Roman 
soldiers  called  them  rough  names  for  being  so  peaceful.  Paul 
and  Barnabas  worked  quietly  among  them,  going  as  usual  to  the 
synagogue  of  the  low  doorway,  and  dark  chamber,  and  the  ever- 
burning lamp,  and  spoke  of  the  nation's  hope  of  a  Saviour.  We 
have  not  got  his  address,  but  this  is  part  of  what  he  afterwards 
wrote : — 

"  In  bygone  years  our  countrymen  did  not  all  listen  to  the  glad 
tidings  of  the  gospel  of  peace.  For  Isaiah  said  of  them,  Lord, 
who  hath  believed  us  1  Belief  comes  by  hearing  the  words  of 
Jesus.  They  heard  a  voice  then,  for  we  read,  Their  voice  went  out 
into  all  the  world,  and  their  words  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.  Did 
our  countrymen  not  know  God's  voice  ?  Isaiah  said,  I,  God,  was 
found  by  them  that  did  not  seek  Me ;  I  became  known  to  them 
that  asked  not  of  Me.  But  as  to  our  countrymen  he  said.  All 
day  long  God  spread  out  His  hands  to  a  disobedient  people.  Now 
I  ask  you  this  question.  Did  God  ever  cast  off  His  people  the  Jews  ? 
God  forbid;  for  I  also  am  a  Jew,  a  child  of  Abraham,  of  the  tribe 
of  Benjamin.  You  remember  that  Elijah  pleaded  with  God  against 
them,  saying,  Lord,  they  have  killed  Thy  prophets  and  dug  down 
Thine  altars;  and  I  only  am  left,  and  they  are  seeking  my  life. 
But  God  answered,  I  have  left  for  Myself  seven  thousand  men 
who  have  not  bowed  the  knee  to  an  idol.  And  so,  my  brothers, 
at  the  present  time,  by  God's  grace,  there  are  a  few  faithful  Jews 
left.  But  it  is  by  His  grace,  not  by  their  own  good  deeds.  And 
so  what  our  countrymen  sought  to  attain  by  their  own  way,  they 
did  not  get ;  but  by  the  favour  of  God  some  got  it,  the  rest  being 
hardened.  As  Isaiah  said,  God  gave  them  a  stupid  spirit,  eyes 
that  they  should  not  see,  ears  that  they  should  not  hear  the  truth, 
as  it  is  to-day.  And  King  David  said,  Let  tlieir  eyes  be  darkened 
that  they  may  not  see,  and  bow  down  their  back  always.  I  say 
then,  Did  the  Jews  of  old  stumble  that  they  might  fall  ?  God 
forbid.  By  their  stumbling  salvation  went  forth  to  foreigners, 
provoking  our  countrymen  to  jealousy.  If  their  stumbling  and 
their  loss  brought  the  riches  of  the  gospel  to  foreigners  and  the 
world,  how  much  more  if  they  had  believed  ? " 

At  first  they  heard  Paul  and  Barnabas  quietly  ;  but  when  they 
returned  day  after  day,  repeating  the  same  gospel  and  urging  men 


STONE  them!  205 

to  believe,  and  when  the  chief  men  saw  some  of  their  countrymen 
joining  them,  they  began  to  interrupt,  oppose,  and  deny  what  they 
said.  But  they  spoke  to  the  townspeople  also  ;  and  we  can  picture 
them  standing  in  the  cool  of  the  afternoon,  in  a  corner  of  the  wide 
market-place,  with  a  group  of  men  about  them,  telling  them  to 
turn  from  idols  of  wood  and  stone  to  the  living  God,  and  live  the 
higher  life  of  honesty,  temperance,  and  goodness,  through  faith  in 
Jesus.  The  people  listened  to  the  wonderful  orator  in  the  brown 
cloak  and  sandals,  and  to  his  tall  friend — listened  gladly;  and 
many  said  they  wished  to  be  Christians.  No  man  had  ever  spoken 
to  them  as  Paul  spoke.  This  is  what  he  afterwards  wrote  to 
them  : — 

"  You,  my  brothers,  have  been  called  into  freedom  ;  but  do  not 
make  freedom  an  excuse  for  excess,  but  serve  one  another  in  love." 

Repeating  one  of  the  beautiful  sayings  of  Jesus  his  Master,  he 
added,  — 

"  For  the  whole  Jewish  religious  law  is  contained  in  these 
words,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself.  But  if,  like 
wild  animals,  you  begin  to  bite  and  tear  each  other,  take  care 
lest  you  be  all  destroyed  together. 

"  Be  guided  by  the  Spirit  of  Jesus,  and  you  will  not  give  way  to 
bad  passions.  For  these  passions  are  opposed  to  His  Spirit,  and 
His  Spirit  is  against  them,  being  contrary  one  to  another.  In 
such  things  you  may  not  do  as  you  please.  But  if  you  are  guided 
by  the  Spirit  of  Jesus,  you  are  not  under  the  Jewish  law. 

"  Men  who  are  not  guided  by  His  Spirit  are  easily  seen  and 
known  by  their  unfaithfulness,  idolatry,  sorcery,  strife,  jealousy, 
anger,  drunkenness,  revelling,  and  such  like,  and  by  factions  and 
divisions.  Of  these  things  I  tell  you  plainly,  they  who  do  them 
shall  not  enter  the  kingdom  of  God.  But  what  are  the  fruits  of 
the  Spirit  of  Jesus  in  your  lives?  love,  joy,  peace,  forbearance, 
kindness,  faith,  meekness,  self-control :  against  such  things  there 
is  no  law.  They  who  believe  in  Jesus  are  as  if  they  had  crucified 
and  put  an  end  to  their  evil  passions  and  desires.  But  let  us 
not  boast  and  annoy  one  another  or  envy  one  another ;  for  as  we 
live  by  the  Spirit  of  Jesus,  so  also  let  us  be  guided  by  Him." 

Their  success  outside  annoyed  the  synagogue  Jews,  who  told 
the  townspeople  that  they  were  false  teachers  ;  but  Paul  and 
Barnabas  spoke  only  the  more  boldly  about  Jesus,  doing  signs  and 
wonders.  The  people  liked  speeches  and  discussions,  and  some 
sided  with  Paul  and  some  with  the  synagogue  Jews,  who  called 
them  names ;  and  the  division  became  very  bitter.  Now,  calling 
names  was  never  far  removed  from  sticks  and  stones  in  these 
towns,  and  in  most  disputes  the  stronger  put  down  the  weaker 


206       AEE  THEY  JUPITER  AND  MERCURY? 

by  force.  And  the  synagogue  Jews  arranged  with  their  friends 
of  the  city  to  stone  the  two  strange  Jews  if  they  did  not  stop 
teaching,  and  they  followed  them  and  treated  them  shamefully  in 
the  streets.  But  before  the  stoning  came  they  were  warned  by 
friends,  and  hastily  left  the  city  by  the  south  gate,  taking  the 
road  across  the  plains. 


Are  they  Jupiter  and   Mercury? 

LYSTRA:     AGED    40-50. 

THEY  had  been  in  Iconium  for  some  months,  and  left  many 
Christians  there,  to  whom  they  would  return.  Again  they 
had  been  driven  out  of  a  town  by  their  own  countrymen,  and  they 
were  now  going  to  Lystra,  another  Greek  city.  To  reach  it  they 
had  to  cross  a  wide  plain  and  climb  a  range  of  low  rocky  hills. 
From  these  hills  they  looked  over  undulating  country  of  yellow 
grass  and  low  hardy  bushes,  where  the  winter  marshes  had  been, 
and  towards  a  range  of  hazy  hills,  with  the  white  houses  of  a 
town  at  the  foot.  They  had  left  green  orchards  and  gardens, 
to  ride  through  a  riverless  plain  of  myrtles,  flowering  canes,  reeds, 
and  spear  grass,  frequented  by  large  herds  of  black  buffaloes  and 
wild  asses.  These  wild  animals  came  to  the  marshes  because  of 
the  salt,  which  was  so  thickly  crusted  that  the  people  could 
gather  it.  If  Paul  and  Barnabas  spent  a  night  on  the  plain  in  a 
shepherd's  low  black  hut,  there  would  be  a  blazing  fire  of  brush- 
wood kept  up  at  the  door  to  scare  off  the  wolves  and  hyenas  that 
but  for  it  would  creep  up  to  attack  the  sheep  and  goats ;  and 
their  howling  and  shrieking  would  be  heard  near  and  far  all  night 
long,  until  the  dawn  silenced  them. 

Lystra  was  built  upon  a  curious  hill  of  black  rock,  standing  by 
itself  in  a  wide  valley,  and  the  town  had  a  river  flowing  through  it 
that  was  lost  in  the  salt  marshes  below.  It  had  also  walls  round  it, 
and  a  large  temple.  Here  again  the  travellers  found  countrymen 
of  their  own,  to  welcome  them  in  the  narrow  streets,  and  take 
them  to  the  Jews'  quarter  to  find  a  house  to  lodge  and  work  in. 
There  they  stayed,  preaching  to  the  people,  and  making  short 
journeys  in  the  district  of  Lycaonia,  and  to  Derbe,  twenty  miles 
southward  along  the  hills.  They  were  in  another  stronghold  for 
Roman  soldiers,  with  a  paved  road  to  Pisidian  Antioch,  beyond 
the  blue  lake  Karalis  ;  and  caravans  of  merchants  from  a  distance 
were  daily  passing  through  the  town,  and  Paul  would  find  no 


AEE  THEY  JUPITER  AND  MERCURY?       207 

difficulty  in  selling  his  haircloth  and  shepherds'  tents.  Going  to 
the  bazaars  and  markets,  they  spoke  to  the  people  about  the 
living  God,  and  Jesus  His  Son,  and  of  the  higher  life  of  soberness, 
honesty,  charity,  and  goodness  to  which  His  voice  called  them, 
contrasting  it  with  the  degrading  worship  of  idols.  And  the 
people  listened  to  teaching  like  this,  which  is  from  one  of  his 
letters  : — 

"  We  speak  the  wisdom  of  perfection :  a  wisdom  not  of  this 
world,  nor  of  the  rulers  of  this  world,  for  that  would  be  nothing. 
But  we  speak  the  wisdom  of  God,  a  mystery,  hidden  and  fixed  by 
Him,  for  our  glory,  before  the  world  began.  But  the  rulers  of 
this  world  did  not  know  it ;  for  if  they  had,  they  would  not  have 
crucified  Jesus  the  Lord  of  glory.  Our  Jewish  Scriptures  say, 
Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  nor  hath  it  entered  into  the 
heart  of  man,  what  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  Him. 

"  But  God  has  made  it  known  to  us  through  the  Spirit  of 
Jesus,  which  searches  all  things,  even  the  deep  things  of  God, 
Who  among  men  knows  the  things  of  a  man  but  the  spirit  of  the 
man  which  is  in  him  ?  and  so  the  things  of  God  are  known  only  to 
the  Spirit  of  God.  We  have  received,  not  the  spirit  of  the  world, 
but  the  spirit  which  is  from  God,  that  we  may  know  the  things 
which  He  freely  gives  us.  And  these  things  we  speak,  not  in 
words  taught  by  the  wisdom  of  man,  but  taught  by  the  Spirit  of 
God ;  and  so  we  teach  the  things  of  the  Spirit  by  His  power.  Men 
whose  minds  are  darkened  will  not  receive  the  things  of  the  Spirit 
of  God;  and  call  them  foolishness,  not  understanding  them,  because 
they  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  to  help  them.  But  the  man 
whose  mind  is  enlightened  by  His  Spirit  examines  all  things,  but 
He  himself  is  not  judged  by  men.  Who  has  known  the  mind 
of  God,  that  he  should  teach  Him  1  But  we  know  the  mind  of 
Jesus  the  Christ." 

Their  preaching  became  popular  in  the  city,  and  the  people 
listened  and  turned  to  the  worship  of  God  and  His  Son,  joining 
the  Christians. 

One  thing  made  a  great  impression.  Paul  was  addressing  a 
crowd  not  far  from  the  temple  of  Jupiter,  and  there  was  a  lame 
man  there  who  had  never  walked ;  and  he  saw  that  he  was  believ- 
ing what  he  said,  and  had  pity  on  him.  Looking  at  him  with  a 
steady  gaze,  he  bade  him  rise,  saying,  "  Stand  upright  upon  your 
feet."  The  man  rose  and  walked,  and  a  murmur  of  astonishment 
went  through  the  crowd,  and  they  shouted  for  joy. 

There  was  a  common  story  told  among  the  people  that  once 
upon  a  time  two  imaginary  persons,  called  Jupiter  and  Mercury, 
had  come  down  from  the  skies  to  that  part  of  the  country,  and 


208  BULLS   AND    FLOWER-ROPES. 

done  wonders.  Perhaps  Paul  and  Barnabas  were  visitors  of  the 
same  sort,  and  the  crowd  shouted  loudly,  "  Gods  have  come  down 
to  us  in  the  shapes  of  men !  Gods  have  come  down  to  us  in 
the  shapes  of  men ! "  And  Paul  could  not  get  them  to  cease 
shouting  this  foolish  cry.     What  it  led  to  we  shall  see. 


Bulls  and   Flower = Ropes. 

LYSTRA  :     AGED    40-50. 

AS  the  people  shouted  in  the  sunshine,  and  gazed  in  wonder  at 
-  Paul  and  Barnabas,  men  ran  out  of  their  shops,  stalls,  and 
little  houses;  passers-by  stopped,  and  the  crowd  grew.  Who 
could  these  strangers  be,  who  said  they  were  the  messengers  of  the 
living  God,  bringing  good  tidings  of  hope  and  joy  ?  Jupiter  was 
said  to  be  a  fine-looking  person,  and  Mercury  a  wonderful  speaker. 
The  tall  man  must  be  the  one,  and  the  silver-tongued  orator  must 
be  the  other. 

Paul  and  Barnabas  went  away,  and  the  crowd  broke  up.  But 
the  two  strangers  grew  more  wonderful  the  more  the  people 
thought  of  the  modesty  with  which  they  had  ceased  speaking 
and  gone  quietly  away  together,  as  if  to  get  beyond  their  cries. 
Some  sought  the  priests  of  Jupiter,  in  the  white  temple  amid  the 
grove  of  dark-green  trees,  passing  on  their  way  a  marble  statue  of 
Jupiter  sitting,  with  Mercury  standing  behind  his  chair.  The 
priests  listened  to  their  excited  story,  and  saying  they  would 
offer  sacrifices  to  these  two  wonderful  beings,  ordered  two  young 
bulls  to  be  brushed  and  oiled  till  their  brown  hides  shone.  Ropes 
of  red  roses,  blue  convolvulus,  scarlet  geraniums,  and  lilies  of 
white  and  gold,  fastened  with  myrtle  and  bay  leaves,  were 
wreathed  round  their  glossy  bodies  and  thick  necks,  and  twined 
about  their  shining  horns,  while  two  strong  young  men  held  them. 
In  a  solemn  procession  of  white-robed  priests,  bearing  axe  and 
wood,  fire  and  incense,  knives  and  cups,  with  peal  of  trumpet  and 
clash  of  cymbal  they  left  the  temple,  going  slowly  through  the  long 
avenue  of  trees  and  out  by  the  gates,  to  make  the  usual  procession 
through  the  streets,  and  pass  the  house,  on  their  way  to  the  public 
altar  of  Jupiter,  where  they  would  slay  and  burn  the  bulls  as  a 
sacrifice  to  the  two  strange  beings. 

A  joyful  messenger  told  Paul  and  Barnabas  what  was  being 
prepared ;  and  the  slow  crash  of  cymbals  and  the  booming  horna 
and  gongs  of  the  shouting  priests  confirmed  it. 


BULLS    AND    FLOWEK-ROPES.  209 

"  What !  going  to  sacrifice  to  them  on  the  altar  of  Jupiter 
near  the  city  gate  ! "  They  were  shocked  beyond  measure.  To 
be  worshipped  in  place  of  God  !  The  idea  was  terrible  !  Seiz- 
ing their  tunics  of  grey  wool,  they  tore  them  from  hem  to  neck, 
the  Jewish  sign  of  grief,  and  fled  into  the  streets,  exclaim- 
ing as  they  ran,  "  What  is  this  you  are  doing  1  what  is  this  you 
are  doing?"  They  came  to  the  priests  and  the  glossy,  flower- 
garlanded  bulls ;  and  standing  upon  a  rising  ground,  with  hands 
upraised,  and  torn  tunic,  Paul  implored  them  to  listen.  The 
gongs  of  the  priests  ceased  as  he  called  loudly, — 

"  We  are  only  men  like  yourselves,  who  have  brought  you  the 
glad  news,  to  turn  away  from  useless  sacrifices  and  images  of 
stone  and  worship  the  living  God,  who  made  the  earth  and  sky 
and  all  that  is  in  them." 

Their  attention  was  caught  with  his  words  about  God,  of  whom 
they  had  often  heard  him  speak.  Why  sacrifice  to  men,  or  stone 
figures  of  men,  with  a  living  God  to  worship?  There  in  the 
sunshine  were  the  white  priests,  the  glossy  bulls,  the  flower-strewn 
altar,  and  the  people  ready  to  worship  God  or  a  stone,  as  Paul 
might  persuade  them,  and  he  took  a  quieter  tone, — 

"  In  long-past  years  God  left  the  nations  of  the  world  to  their 
own  way,  and  yet  you  are  never  without  evidence  of  God's  con- 
stant care  for  you,  in  the  rain  He  sends,  and  the  fruitful  years 
which  fill  your  homes  with  food  and  your  hearts  with  gladness." 

It  was  autumn,  and  Paul's  eyes  had  caught  the  gleam  of  red 
apples,  crimson  cherries,  golden  dates,  purple  grapes,  amongst  the 
yellow  leaves  of  the  gardens,  ripe  witnesses  of  the  care  of  the  un- 
seen God. 

When  the  silver-tongued  orator  ended,  the  priests  were  not  so 
pressing ;  but  the  people  were  still  eager  for  the  sacrifice,  and  it 
took  Paul  and  Barnabas  a  hard  struggle  to  get  them  to  give  way. 
It  may  have  occurred  to  some  that  if  these  two  strangers  were 
from  heaven,  they  ought  to  be  obeyed ;  and  if  they  were  not,  they 
need  not  slay  bulls  and  burn  incense  to  two  men. 

And  so  the  shining  bulls,  with  their  flower  garlands,  were  led 
lowing  back  to  their  stalls  in  Jupiter's  temple,  and  the  people 
went  home.  And  Paul  and  Barnabas  felt  as  if  they  had  escaped 
from  a  great  danger — not  from  enemies,  as  at  Iconium,  but  from 
mistaken  friends. 


(1.040)  14 


210  STONED    AND    CAST   OUT. 

Stoned   and   Cast  Out. 

LYSTRA:    AGED    40-50. 

AND  so  Paul  and  Barnabas  stayed  on  in  that  city  of  the  black 
'^  rock,  surrounded  on  three  sides  with  jagged  mountain  peaks, 
over  which  the  sun  sank  in  the  evening,  filling  the  head  of  the 
valley  with  floating  mists  of  rose  and  crimson. 

Among  those  who  joined  the  Christians  was  a  youth  called 
Timothy,  of  whom  we  shall  hear  much  later  on ;  and  his  mother 
Lois,  and  his  grandmother  Eunice,  were  very  friendly  to  the  two 
travellers.  We  do  not  know  what  Paul  said  to  him  at  this  time, 
but  this  is  part  of  what  he  afterwards  wrote  : — 

"  Stir  up  the  gift  of  God,  which  is  in  you  through  the  laying 
on  of  my  hands.  For  God  has  not  given  us  the  spirit  of  fear,  but 
of  power,  and  love,  and  soberness.  Be  not  ashamed  of  Jesus,  nor 
of  me ;  but  bear  hardships,  spreading  the  gospel  in  the  power  of 
God.  For  God  has  saved  us,  and  called  us  with  a  holy  call,  not 
because  of  our  goodness,  but  by  favour,  and  for  His  own  purpose. 
And  this  was  given  us  in  Jesus  the  Christ  from  long-past  times, 
but  has  only  now  been  seen  and  made  known  by  His  appearing  as 
our  Saviour.  He  has  conquered  death,  and  brought  the  future 
life  to  our  knowledge  through  His  gospel,  of  which  I  was  made  a 
herald,  apostle,  and  teacher.  And  for  that  I  suffer :  but  I  am 
not  ashamed ;  for  I  know  Jesus  in  whom  I  have  believed,  and 
I  am  sure  that  He  is  able  to  guard  what  I  have  committed  into 
His  care  until  that  day.  Keep  to  the  sound  teaching  which  you 
have  heard  me  speak,  in  that  faith  and  love  which  is  in  Jesus 
the  Christ.  The  good  thing  which  has  been  given  you  guard  and 
keep,  by  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  which  dwells  in  us  all." 

The  Roman  road  from  Pisidian  Antioch  ended  at  Lystra,  and 
besides  bands  of  foot-soldiers,  Paul  would  often  see  the  light 
two-wheeled  chariot  of  crimson  and  gold  of  a  Boman  officer  dash- 
ing out  through  the  low  city  gateway  and  along  the  road,  the 
driver  whirling  his  long  whip  and  shouting  to  the  galloping  horses 
that  drew  the  light  wagon,  bumping  and  clattering  over  the 
stones,  while  the  officer  stood  beside  him  holding  by  the  front 
rail.  Through  these  low  archways  groaned  and  creaked  the 
heavy  wooden-wheeled  wagons,  dragged  by  horned  oxen,  bringing 
in  loads  of  wood,  wool,  leather  hides,  bricks,  blocks  of  stone,  or 
sacks  of  grain  into  the  market  or  to  the  merchants'  stores.  Chief 
among  these  merchants  and  traders,  whose  laden  asses  brought  the 
finest  rolls  of  silk  and  cotton  cloth  into  the  city,  were  the  red- 


STONED    AND    CAST    OUT.  211 

cheeked,  black-eyed  Jews,  many  of  whom  travelled  the  country 
as  peddlers,  with  a  bale  of  goods  strapped  on  a  pack-ass,  going 
long  distances,  and  calling  at  far-off  towns  and  villages. 

Forty  miles  across  the  salt  plain  was  Iconium,  and  there  the 
synagogue  Jews  heard  from  their  companions  that  the  two  strange 
travellers  had  stopped  at  Lystra,  and  that  the  new  gospel  was 
much  liked  by  the  people.  The  news  was  carried  to  the  syna- 
gogue at  Pisidian  Antioch,  and  they  were  also  annoyed  that  these 
men  should  teach  what  they  considered  to  be  a  false  Jewish  re- 
ligion, and  they  sent  learned  men  to  contradict  them.  And  soon 
the  disputation  and  quarrelling  amongst  the  Jews  of  Lystra  was 
very  great ;  for  these  men  denounced  Paul  and  Barnabas  as  false 
teachers,  who  had  been  put  out  of  Pisidian  Antioch,  and  had  fled 
from  Iconium.  And  they  told  the  people  that  this  Jesus  of 
whom  Paul  spoke  was  crucified  as  a  criminal  by  the  Roman 
governor  at  Jerusalem,  not  twenty  years  ago. 

And  so  the  people  of  the  city  were  stirred  up  by  the  lies 
of  Jews,  whom  they  knew  and  did  business  with,  against  two 
strangers  whom  they  did  not  know.  And  they  gradually  changed 
right  round,  until  they  thought  that  they  were  cheats  and  vaga- 
bonds who  should  be  driven  out.  But  Paul  and  his  friends  did 
not  know  of  the  change,  and  continued  to  preach  openly  in  street 
and  market,  thinking  all  was  well,  and  it  came  suddenly  upon 
them. 

One  day,  as  Paul  was  standing  speaking  under  the  hot  autumn 
sky,  the  Iconium  Jews  came  forward  and  disputed  with  him,  and, 
with  fists  in  the  air,  shrieked  out  their  rage,  calling  on  the 
common  people  to  stone  him.  There  are  always  enough  scoundrels 
in  an  Asiatic  crowd  to  kill  a  man,  if  the  rest  do  not  defend  him ; 
and  soon  stones  were  flying  through  the  air  at  the  man  in  the 
brown  cloak,  who  did  not  run  away  ;  and  more  stones  came,  until 
one  heavier  than  the  rest  struck  him,  and  he  fell  bleeding  and  in- 
sensible upon  the  street.  His  cowardly  enemies  thought  he  was 
killed,  and  did  not  care,  for  life  was  cheap  in  these  places,  and, 
as  if  he  were  a  vile  criminal,  they  took  him  by  the  cloak,  and, 
with  shouts  and  jeers,  dragged  his  senseless  body  through  the  dust 
of  the  street  .  nd  out  by  the  city  gate,  wjiere  he  was  tossed  aside, 
as  if  they  had  rid  the  city  of  a  murderer.    And  there  they  left  him. 

His  friends  had  followed,  not  knowing  whether  he  was  dead 
or  alive,  as  he  was  being  dragged  along ;  and  when  his  body 
was  cast  aside  they  gathered  round.  There  lay  the  messenger  of 
Jesus,  his  clothing  covered  with  yellow  dust,  bleeding  from  stone 
cuts.  Was  he  dead  or  alive?  We  can  imagine  how  tenderly 
Barnabas  would  pillow  the  head  of  his  friend  upon  a  cloak,  as 


212  AMID    SNOW    AND    ICE. 

he  dashed  water  in  his  face,  and  called  him  by  his  name,  while 
others  stood  weeping  and  lamenting  round  him. 

To  their  great  joy  Paul  returned  to  consciousness,  and  opening 
his  eyes,  spoke  to  them,  asking  what  had  happened  and  why  he 
was  there.  After  a  time  he  recovered  enough  to  be  taken  away, 
and,  assisted  by  friends,  he  was  helped  to  his  feet  and  taken  into 
the  city,  perhaps  after  dark,  so  that  his  enemies  might  not  see  him 
or  know  what  had  been  done  with  him. 

And  thus  he  was  all  but  killed  by  the  same  hands  that  had 
been  held  up  to  worship  him.  Great  heart !  he  was  neither  ex- 
alted by  the  one  nor  terrified  by  the  other,  for  he  believed  he  was 
treading  the  path  marked  out  for  him  by  Jesus — a  road  beset  with 
scourgings,  imprisonments,  stonings,  insults,  bufFetings,  and  death 
itself,  such  as  in  his  days  of  madness  he  himself  had  dealt  out  to 
others.  They  suffered  in  innocence,  but  he  believed  he  deserved 
to  suffer,  for  nothing  that  he  could  bear  for  Jesus  could  atone  for 
the  days  when  he  persecuted  Him  through  His  followers. 

He  had  now  felt  the  pains  but  not  the  broken-hearted  inno- 
cence of  Stephen,  when,  on  that  never-to-be-forgotten  day,  he  stood 
outside  the  walls  of  Jerusalem  and  held  the  cloaks  of  the  ruffians 
who  killed  him.  In  the  secrecy  of  some  friend's  house  he  lay 
bruised  and  wounded,  sore  and  ill,  from  the  stones  and  blows  of 
the  streets,  thankful  that  his  life  was  spared.  And  Timothy 
would  not  forget  the  sight  of  Paul  stoned  by  his  countrymen  for 
bringing  the  tidings  of  peace  to  them. 

Next  morning  early,  mounted  on  an  ass,  with  his  strong  com- 
panion Barnabas  by  his  side,  bidding  a  secret  farewell  to  his 
friends,  bruised  and  sore,  Paul  rode  out  into  the  country,  and 
towards  the  town  of  Derbe,  where  they  had  been  already  well 
received,  there  to  begin  again  scattering  the  seed  of  life,  to  spring 
up  and  bear  fruit  when  he  was  gone. 


Amid   Snow  and   Ice. 

DERBE:     AGED    40-50. 

THE  road  from  Lystra  to  Derbe  was  across  miles  of  undulating 
country,  with  short  grass  and  few  trees.  The  hollows  here 
and  there  were  filling  out  with  the  rains  into  shallow  lakes,  where 
flocks  of  grey  geese  and  black-winged  ducks  rose  on  low  wings. 
The  town  towards  which  they  were  slowly  riding  was  in  a  sheltered 
hollow  at  the  foot  of  a  black  mountain,  and  surrounded  with  strong 
walls,  as  a  protection  from  robbers ;  but  it  was  not  large,  and  its 


AMID   SNOW   AND    ICE.  213 

houses  were  of  wood  and  brown  bricks,  closely  crowded  together. 
The  swift  river  through  which  they  rode  turned  away  and  did  not 
come  near  the  town,  so  that  it  was  not  surrounded  with  those 
miles  of  green  orchards  and  bee  gardens  which  were  the  beauty 
of  Iconium,  but  tapering  poplar  trees  bowed  before  the  wind. 

When  Paul,  still  sore  and  weak,  rode  through  the  archway 
into  the  town,  in  the  care  of  Barnabas,  he  found  friendly 
hands  held  out  to  take  him  to  their  house,  for  Jews  were  always 
ready  to  take  in  travelling  countrymen.  Again  he  would  work  at 
his  trade  of  a  weaver  and  tentmaker,  so  that  he  might  not  be  a 
burden  on  any  man ;  but  there  was  no  synagogue  in  Derbe,  so 
that  he  would  speak  to  small  meetings  in  friends'  houses,  for  he 
was  a  rabbi  of  Jerusalem,  and  would  be  listened  to  by  his  own 
countrymen  and  by  foreigners  also. 

Among  the  mountains  of  Galatia  winter  comes  soon,  and  by 
the  end  of  autumn  the  wdnds  in  the  streets  of  Derbe  were  chill 
and  cutting,  and  heavy  rains  fell  for  days  together.  Sometimes 
the  frost  comes  so  suddenly  that  farmers  have  to  gather  in  their 
stooks  of  corn  from  among  the  snow.  The  first  thick  fall  of 
snow  was  the  sign  that  travelling  any  great  distance  should  be 
given  up,  if  the  traveller  did  not  wish  to  be  lost  in  a  snowstorm. 

Winter  was  now  at  hand,  and  travelling  was  over  for  a  time, 
when  all  who  could  lived  within  the  walls  of  a  town.  With  cold 
winds  sweeping  through  the  crooked  streets,  and  hills  covered 
with  glittering  snow,  the  two  men  would  require  all  the  protection 
they  could  get  from  sheep-skin  coats  and  heavy  cloaks.  His 
house  would  seem  poor  and  comfortless  to  us,  with  a  large  fire  of 
resinous  wood  knots  burning  in  the  middle  of  the  stone  floor, 
the  smoke  curling  upwards  to  a  hole  in  the  roof,  and  doors  and 
windows  closed  to  keep  out  the  bitter  cold. 

Amid  such  surroundings,  the  great  scholar,  with  his  rolls  of 
papyrus,  his  notes  written  in  black  Greek  words,  his  genius,  and 
his  eloquence,  spent  the  short  days  and  long  nights  of  winter  in  a 
mountain  town,  snowed  up,  cut  oflf  from  all  the  world.  But  he 
and  Barnabas  preached  the  glorious  gospel  of  Jesus  to  the  people, 
who  sat  by  the  hour  on  mats  in  the  small  crowded  room,  listen- 
ing, and  weeping  as  they  heard  words  like  these  : — 

"Be  strengthened  with  the  grace  which  is  in  Jesus.  What 
you  have  heard  me  say  before  many  witnesses,  commit  to  faithful 
men,  who  may  be  able  to  teach  it  to  others  also.  Bear  hardships 
with  me,  as  a  good  soldier  of  the  Christ.  No  soldier  when  he  is 
out  on  service  entangles  himself  in  other  affairs,  that  he  may  better 
please  the  one  who  enrolled  him  as  a  soldier.  If  a  young  man 
takes  part  in  the  public  games,  lie  is  not  crowned  with  the  green 


214  MELTING    ICE    AND    VANISHING    SNOWS. 

leaves  unless  he  has  kept  the  rules.  The  man  who  digs  a  garden 
ought  to  be  the  first  to  taste  the  fruit.  Think  upon  what  I  say, 
for  God  will  give  you  understanding  in  all  things.  Do  not  forget 
that  Jesus  the  Christ,  who  rose  from  the  dead,  was  descended 
from  King  David,  according  to  the  gospel  which  I  have  taught, 
and  for  which  I  suffer  :  but  I  bear  everything  for  the  sake  of 
others,  that  they  too  may  get  that  salvation  which  is  in  Jesus  the 
Christ,  with  glory  for  evermore.  It  is  a  faithful  saying,  that  if  we 
die  with  Jesus,  we  shall  live  with  Him ;  if  we  endure,  we  shall 
reign ;  if  we  deny  Him,  He  will  deny  us :  but  though  we  be  faith- 
less, yet  will  He  remain  faithful." 

And  many  who  listened  to  him  in  these  little  meetings  turned 
from  their  idols  to  the  living  God,  to  live  the  higher  life  in  Jesus 
His  Son.  And  they  got  the  Christians  to  join  into  a  congrega- 
tion, to  meet,  read,  pray,  and  worship  together,  and  encourage 
each  other  to  stand  firm  in  the  new  religion,  and  not  go  back  to 
idols.  They  also  chose  the  best  men  to  be  over  the  rest,  in 
taking  care  of  the  poor  and  widows  and  orphans,  and  providing 
their  common  meal  and  a  place  to  meet  in.  And  at  their  meet- 
ings, any  one  who  felt  called  upon  to  speak  a  word  was  free  to  do 
so.  Fasting,  as  you  know,  was  a  part  of  the  synagogue  system, 
and  Paul  also  encouraged  them  to  fast  when  they  had  any  very 
solemn  thing  to  prepare  for. 

And  so,  while  he  lived  among  them,  he  taught  them  how 
to  keep  together  and  strengthen  each  other  in  the  new  faith. 
And  when  the  rains  and  gales  of  spring  came,  and  black  patches 
of  rock  began  to  appear  on  the  white  hillsides,  telling  that  the 
snows  were  melting,  the  two  travellers  thought  of  moving  on 
again,  for  the  roads  would  soon  be  open. 


Melting   Ice  and   Vanishing  Snows. 

DERBE  :     AGED    40-50. 

THEY  had  now  been  a  year  away  from  Antioch,  and  had  reached 
the  farthest  town  in  Galatia,  and  were  about  to  retrace  their 
steps,  visiting  the  Christians  on  their  way,  in  the  different  towns 
they  had  passed  through.  Before  leaving,  they  had  a  last  meet- 
ing with  the  Christians  of  Derbe,  urging  them  to  be  faithful  to 
Jesus,  and  resist  all  temptations  to  return  to  the  worship  of 
idols,  and  not  to  be  afraid  of  trouble,  for  it  was  only  by  holding 
to  the  faith  that  they  could  become  children  of  God's  kingdom; 


MELTING   ICE    AND    VANISHING   SNOWS.  215 

and  they  prayed  that  God  would  watch  over  them,  and  then  rode 
out  of  the  town  towards  Lystra. 

Although  the  sun  was  hot  at  mid-day,  the  road  across  the 
plains  would  still  be  thick  with  snow,  frozen  and  beaten  hard  with 
horses'  feet.  The  marshes  were  no  longer  lakes  of  snow^-laden 
ice,  but  tracts  of  water,  rippling  into  waves  with  the  wind.  And 
when  the  day's  ride  drew  to  a  close,  they  saw  the  mountains  to  the 
west,  of  rose,  and  purple,  and  crimson,  transfigured  with  colours  so 
brilliant  that  they  were  more  like  peaks  of  amethyst,  ruby,  and 
coral  than  of  snow  kindled  by  the  setting  sun. 

The  Jews  of  Iconium  had  gone  home  months  ago  ;  so  that  when 
Paul  and  Barnabas  rode  into  Lystra  they  were  received  joyfully 
by  the  Christians,  who  chose  elders  and  office-bearers,  and  were 
instructed  how  to  keep  together  as  a  congregation.  At  their 
farewell  meeting  they  would  listen  to  words  like  these  before 
Paul  rode  on  again  over  the  beaten  snows  : — 

"  If  any  man  thinks  differently,  and  does  not  agree  to  sound 
words,  even  the  words  of  Jesus  the  Christ,  and  the  gospel  of 
goodness,  he  is  conceited,  knowing  nothing,  but  taken  up  with 
questionings  and  disputes  over  words,  out  of  which  come  quarrel- 
ling, scolding,  suspicions,  and  wranglings  among  men  of  bad 
minds,  who  do  not  know  the  truth,  and  think  that  goodness  is  a 
way  to  make  money.  Goodness  with  contentment  is  great  gain. 
We  brought  nothing  into  the  world,  and  we  shall  carry  nothing 
out ;  and  with  food  and  clothing  we  should  be  content.  They 
who  wish  to  be  rich  fall  into  snares  and  temptations,  and  many 
foolish  and  hurtful  desires,  that  sink  men  into  destruction. 
For  the  love  of  money  is  the  root  of  all  kinds  of  evil;  and  some,  by 
reaching  and  following  after  it,  have  been  led  astray  from  the  true 
faith,  and  have  pierced  themselves  through  with  many  sorrows." 

Riding  on  to  Iconium,  they  met  the  Christians,  and  did  the 
same  as  at  Derbe  and  Lystra,  urging  them  to  be  true  to  the 
new  faith,  in  words  like  these  : — 

"  Finally,  my  brothers,  pray  for  us,  that  the  word  of  God  may 
speed  and  be  glorified,  with  others  as  with  you  :  and  that  you  may 
be  delivered  from  wicked  men  who  have  not  the  true  faith.  But 
Jesus  is  faithful,  who  will  strengthen  you,  and  guard  you  from 
harm.  We  have  confidence  in  you,  that  in  Him  you  will  both 
will  and  do  what  He  commands.  And  may  God  guide  your  hearts 
unto  the  love  of  Him  and  the  patience  of  Jesus." 

After  staying  with  them  for  a  time,  they  rode  out  of  the  walled 
city  and  through  miles  of  orchards  and  gardens,  where  trees  were 
budding  into  green  leaf,  and  birds  building  their  nests ;  for  although 
the  earth  was  cold  and  white,  the  air  was  warm  with  sunshine. 


216  BY   FLOWERY   FIELDS. 

Following  the  paved  Roman  road,  they  came,  with  many  slips 
and  stumbles,  up  to  the  gates  of  Pisidian  Antioch,  out  of  which 
they  had  been  thrust  some  six  months  before,  when  skies  were 
blue  and  hillsides  glowing  with  midsummer.  There  they  told 
the  Christians  what  they  had  done,  and  got  them  to  form  a 
congregation,  and  choose  those  who  were  to  be  over  the  rest.  But 
before  leaving,  Paul  and  Barnabas  spoke  of  the  temptations  that 
would  beset  them  to  go  back  to  the  worship  of  idols  and  the 
pleasures  of  the  temples,  urging  them  to  hold  to  the  new  gospel 
and  the  higher  life  in  Jesus.  We  are  not  told  what  he  said,  but 
this  is  part  of  what  he  wrote  : — 

"  Wives,  obey  your  husbands  ;  husbands,  love  your  wives,  and 
be  not  bitter  against  them.  Children,  obey  your  parents  in  all 
things:  for  that  is  pleasing  to  God.  Fathers,  irritate  not  your 
children,  lest  they  be  discouraged.  Slaves,  obey  your  masters  in 
all  things;  not  with  eye  service,  as  men-pleasers  only,  but  in  single- 
ness of  heart  and  the  fear  of  God :  and  whatever  you  do,  work 
heartily,  as  to  God  and  not  man;  knowing  that  from  God  you  shall 
receive  your  reward :  for  you  serve  Jesus  the  Christ.  Masters, 
give  your  slaves  what  is  just  and  fair,  knowing  that  you  also  have 
a  master  in  heaven :  and  he  that  does  wrong  shall  be  punished 
for  what  he  has  done;  and  there  is  no  respect  of  persons  with  God. 

"  Continue  steadfast  in  prayer,  watchful  always  and  thankful ; 
praying  also  for  us,  that  God  may  open  to  us  a  door  for  His  word, 
that  we  may  speak  the  mystery  of  Jesus  the  Christ,  and  make  it 
known,  as  we  ought.  Behave  wisely  towards  them  that  are  not 
Christians,  and  use  your  time  well ;  and  let  your  words  be  always 
gracious,  that  you  may  know  how  to  answer  every  one." 

The  mountain  passes  were  still  blocked  with  snow,  and  the 
flooded  rivers  so  dangerous  that  they  would  remain  with  their 
friends  at  this  large  city  until  the  spring  was  well  advanced,  for 
it  was  not  until  May  that  hardy  mountaineers  and  adventurous 
packmen  went  down  the  broken  and  flooded  tracks  to  the  coast 
plains  below.  Paul  seems  to  have  avoided  the  synagogue,  as  he 
did  also  in  Lystra  and  Iconium  on  this  return  journey,  keeping  to 
quiet  meetings  with  the  Christians. 


By  Flowery   Fields. 

PISIDIAN    ANTIOCH:    AGED    40-50. 

T 1  rHILE  Paul  waited  in  that  walled  city  at  the  foot  of  the 
*  ^       Sultan  Mountain,  spring   came   smiling  over  the  plains 


BY   FLOWERY    FIELDS.  217 

below,  where  the  light-green  leaves  were  shaken  out  upon  the 
branches,  and  the  lark  rose  from  the  springing  grass  to  sing  by 
the  edge  of  the  luminous  cloud,  for  winter  was  over  and  gone. 

Bidding  farewell  to  their  many  friends,  the  two  travellers  rode 
down  the  paved  way  towards  Neapolis.  The  winds  were  pierc- 
ingly cold  that  swept  down  from  the  snow-covered  mountains, 
but  beds  of  purple  and  yellow  crocuses,  and  glades  of  twinkling 
white  snowdrops,  told  them  that  there  would  be  no  more  ice. 
When  they  passed  through  woods,  masses  of  sulphur  primrose, 
and  sheets  of  blue  hyacinth,  and  lilac  cyclamen  spread  pools  of 
colour  among  mosses  of  brilliant  bronze  and  red.  In  the  open 
country  the  ground  was  seamed  with  dark-brown  lines,  where 
farmers,  with  wooden  ploughs  and  horned  oxen,  were  slowly  tilling 
the  fields.  Others  were  flinging  in  the  seed,  while  flocks  of  black 
crows,  glossy  starlings,  speckled  partridges,  and  crested  lapwings 
wheeled  in  the  air,  seeking  to  snatch  it  away  before  it  could  be 
covered  over  by  the  harrow  of  thorn  bushes.  Again  they  saw  the 
sparkling  waters  of  the  blue  lake.  White  storks  passed  in  long 
trains  above  them,  and  from  the  woods  came  the  call  of  the  cuckoo, 
which  marked  there,  as  in  England,  the  coming  of  summer. 

After  some  days  they  reached  the  rocky  descent  through  the 
gorge  in  the  mountains,  to  the  plains  by  the  sea,  up  which  Barnabas 
had  toiled  with  his  sick  companion  nearly  a  year  before.  The 
climate  changed  quickly  to  midsummer,  and  bare  cliff's  of  marble, 
stained  with  lichens  of  orange  and  red,  became  banks  of  bushes 
and  trees.  At  parts,  the  precipices  on  each  side  almost  shut  out 
the  sky  ;  and  at  others,  the  black  tents  of  wandering  bands  warned 
them  to  be  on  their  guard  for  attack,  for  even  Roman  soldiers  were 
not  able  to  clear  the  robbers  out  of  these  mountain  passes.  And 
if  they  camped  at  night,  lying  under  small  black  tents  beside  a 
blazing  camp  fire,  they  would  hear  in  the  stillness  the  hooting  of 
the  grey  owl  and  the  scream  of  the  hyena,  and  perhaps  the  roar- 
ing of  a  lion ;  for  there  were  no  hunters  there,  and  fires  by  night 
and  shouts  and  noise  by  day  were  the  travellers'  protection. 

When  again  they  saw  the  sea,  it  was  over  woods  in  full  leaf, 
and  country  bathed  in  hot  sunshine,  which  never  knew  the  nip  of 
winter.  On  the  plains  the  crops  were  rippling  green,  and  by  the 
water-courses  the  oleander  and  hawthorn  reared  crimson  hedges 
and  towers  of  snow.  The  time  of  wild-flowers  was  brief  and 
brilliant,  with  hues  which  no  one  could  number.  Here  a  hollow 
of  sky-blue  forget-me-nots,  there  a  thicket  of  spotted  yellow  lilies, 
yonder  a  field  white  with  narcissus,  while  crimson  roses  and  scarlet 
geraniums  grew  to  the  height  of  small  trees.  Butterflies  of  crim- 
son and  black,  pale  blue,  golden  yellow,  and  paper- white  fluttered 


218  SUNSHINE    AND   WAVES. 

in  the  sunshine ;  and  at  noon  the  nightingale  still  sang  in  the 
shade  of  thick  bushes.  With  sunshine  burning  on  leaf  and 
flower,  the  gleam  of  wings,  the  hum  of  bees,  it  seemed  strange  that 
those  sweet  flowers  should  ever  fade,  or  heat  fill  those  plains  of 
paradise  with  poisonous  airs. 

Crossing  the  flooded  river  Cestus  by  the  narrow  bridge,  they 
came  to  Perga  in  its  broad  vale,  and  there  they  stayed  for  some 
time.  Paul  proclaimed  the  gospel  to  the  people  of  the  town,  and 
it  is  likely  he  would  also  speak  to  the  Jews  in  their  synagogue,  and 
we  can  picture  them  listening  to  words  like  this : — 

"You  are  inexcusable,  O  man,  whoever  you  may  be  that 
judges  another  man.  In  condemning  him,  you  condemn  your- 
self ;  for  you  do  the  same  things.  And  we  know  of  truth  that 
God's  judgment  is  against  all  unrighteousness.  Do  you  think 
that  you  will  escape  ?  Or  do  you  despise  the  goodness  and  forbear- 
ance of  God,  not  knowing  that  His  goodness  should  bring  you 
to  repentance?  By  the  hardness  of  your  heart  you  heap  up 
punishment  for  yourself  of  God,  who  will  judge  every  man  accord- 
ing to  his  life.  To  them  that  by  patience  in  doing  well  seek 
honour  and  glory  and  immortality.  He  will  give  life  for  evermore ; 
but  to  them  that  are  factious,  who  obey  not  the  truth,  but  follow 
unrighteousness,  will  be  God's  wrath  and  indignation." 

They  did  not  find  a  ship  to  suit  them  at  Perga,  and  continued 
their  journey,  a  full  day's  ride  farther  on,  through  level  country, 
ever  descending  towards  the  cliffs  by  the  sea  on  which  the  town  of 
Attalia  stood. 


Sunshine  and  Waves. 

ATTALIA:    AGED    40-50. 

THE  town  is  still  there ;  its  streets  are  shaded  with  trees;  fruit 
gardens  still  surround  the  houses  of  the  rich,  as  when  Paul 
saw  it.  It  was  then  a  great  seaport  for  the  cities  on  the  plains 
and  among  the  mountains,  and  the  country  people  for  many  miles 
around  came  to  its  paved  market-place  to  sell  their  hides  and  woo], 
their  wine,  oil,  cheese,  and  dried  fruits  for  shipment.  Many 
Jews  were  there ;  but  Paul  seems  only  to  have  passed  through 
the  streets  to  reach  the  harbour,  built  of  huge  stone  blocks,  at  the 
curve  of  the  bay,  some  of  which  can  be  seen  still. 

There  the  two  travellers  found  a  ship  bound  for  Seleucia ;  and 
after  paying  for  a  passage,  in  brass  and  copper  coins,  they  got 
provisions  for  the  voyage,  and  went  on  board.  When  the  wind  was 


SUNSHINE    AND   WAVES.  219 

favourable,  the  great  brown  sail  was  shaken  out  from  the  taper- 
ing yard,  and  they  were  again  heaving  upon  the  sea,  as  the  little 
ship  swept  out  from  the  shelter  of  the  stone  quay.  They  saw  the 
white  houses  of  the  town  grow  smaller,  with  dark  cliffs  behind 
them  and  foaming  waterfalls;  while  afar  off,  cutting  the  light  blue 
sky  with  rugged  line,  were  the  glittering  peaks  of  the  mountains, 
among  which  they  had  spent  a  winter  of  bitter  cold  and  snow, 
of  danger  and  of  success. 

After  a  long  sojourn  amongst  the  mountains  and  passes  of 
Galatia,  a  voyage  in  a  coasting  boat  in  early  spring  would  be  a 
time  of  strength-giving  zest  and  change  to  the  two  men.  With  a 
favouring  wind,  they  could  sail  to  Seleucia  in  fourteen  days,  but 
it  is  not  likely  that  they  would  have  just  the  wind  they  wanted 
all  the  way.  The  weather  would  not  be  too  hot ;  and  some  nights 
they  would  sleep  with  the  stars  shining  over  them,  and  on  others, 
scourged  with  wind  and  rain,  they  would  find  what  rest  they 
could  amongst  a  crowd  of  other  men  under  the  deck  at  the  bow. 
There  would  be  no  fire  in  the  boat,  so  that  their  food  would  be  the 
hard  fare  of  Eastern  travellers — cakes  of  bread  moistened  with  oil, 
dried  fish,  eggs,  dried  dates  and  figs,  wine,  and  stale  water  from  an 
earthenware  jar  or  leather  skin. 

They  were  sailing  along  the  coast,  and  every  night  they  would 
anchor  in  a  creek  or  bay  until  the  red  dawn  fiushed  the  clouds, 
when  the  anchor  would  be  taken  up,  and  the  large  sail  shaken  out. 
These  days  of  idleness,  spent  in  looking  towards  the  changing  line 
of  purple  mountains,  watching  for  the  blue  peaks  of  Cyprus  or  the 
mist-shrouded  mountains  of  Syria,  would  be  days  of  reflection 
and  conversation,  in  which  Paul  would  hear  all  that  Barnabas 
knew  of  Jesus,  and  many  things  would  become  clear  between 
them.  In  their  first  long  journey  together,  they  had  succeeded 
better  amongst  foreigners  than  they  could  have  expected ;  and  they 
would  talk  of  the  prospects  of  the  gospel  amongst  their  own  en- 
lightened God-fearing  countrymen,  compared  with  the  ignorant 
people  of  cities  and  countries  sunk  in  the  darkness  and  iniquity 
of  idol  worship.  Let  others  convert  the  Jews  ;  they  would  carry 
the  light  of  the  glorious  gospel  into  lands  where  the  fear  of  God 
was  unknown.  Wherever  there  was  a  Roman  road  or  a  Roman 
city,  they  would  plant  the  gospel  of  the  world,  for  did  not  Jesus 
say,— 

"Go  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every 
creature.  Wherever  two  or  three  are  met  together  in  My  name, 
there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  you." 

And  every  fresh  day  of  golden  sunshine  and  rocking  seas,  and 
every  night  of  dashing  spray  and  rain  or  whistling  wind,  brought 


220  A   WIDE-OPEN   DOOR. 

them  nearer  to  Antioch  and  their  friends  wlio  had  sent  them  out 
as  the  messengers  of  the  truth  and  the  way,  to  the  nations  lying  in 
darkness. 


A  Wide = open   Door. 

ANTIOCH  :    AGED    40-50. 

SITTING  on  the  raised  deck  at  the  stern,  where  the  steersman 
worked  the  long  oar  with  which  he  kept  the  boat  on  its 
course,  they  saw  again  the  familiar  shapes  of  the  mountains,  and 
the  white  houses  of  the  town ;  and  soon  they  were  in  the  quiet 
waters  of  the  harbour  of  Seleucia,  and  behind  the  stone  break- 
water, with  the  sail  looped  up  to  the  tapermg  yard,  and  the  voyage 
at  an  end.  There  were  no  friends  waiting  for  them  as  the  boat 
glided  alongside  the  stone  quay,  and  the  ropes  were  thrown  out  and 
caught  and  tied  fast.  The  grass  was  dry  and  yellow  as  they  rode 
up  the  wide  glens  towards  Antioch,  crossing  the  bridge  of  five 
arches,  and  passing  through  the  low  gateway,  to  stand  once  more 
in  the  busy  street  thronged  with  people  seeking  the  shade  of  the 
pillared  footways.  They  had  been  away  for  about  two  and  a  half 
years,  and  word  of  their  return  soon  spread  amongst  the  Chris- 
tians, who  gathered  to  their  house  to  hear  the  news  of  their 
journey  and  ask  them  to  come  to  the  meeting-place  of  the  con- 
gregation and  give  an  account  of  their  wanderings. 

Through  the  narrow  streets,  in  the  autumn  sunshine,  the 
Christians  of  Antioch  went  towards  their  place  of  meeting,  and 
friends  who  were  not  Christians  came  to  hear  the  story  of  the 
first  missionary  journey  of  two  brave  men.  Sitting  on  bright- 
coloured  mats,  they  listened  to  the  story  of  the  ride  through  Cyprus, 
and  of  the  Roman  governor,  Sergius  Paulus,  at  Paphos ;  of  the 
voyage  to  Perga,  and  of  Paul's  illness,  and  Mark's  return  home ;  and 
of  their  going  up  through  the  mountains  to  Pisidian  Antioch,  where 
they  spent  their  first  winter.  They  heard  also  how  they  worked 
there  and  were  put  out,  and  went  on  to  Iconium,  whence  they  fled 
to  Lystra,  where  Paul  was  all  but  killed,  and  went  thence  to 
Derbe,  spending  their  second  winter  there,  and  returning  in  the 
spring  through  the  same  towns  to  Perga,  Attalia,  and  home  by 
sea.  And  this  was  their  golden  news,  that  whereas  the  Jews  in  the 
synagogues  were  against  them,  the  foreigners  in  the  streets  heard 
them  gladly,  and  joined  the  Christians  in  such  large  numbers  that 
they  had  formed  congregations  in  almost  every  town  they  visited. 
Everywhere  the  foreigners  were  giving  up  their  idols,  and  turning 


A   WIDE-OPEN    DOOR.  221 

to  the  living  God  and  Jesus  His  Son.  And  the  men  of  Antioch 
rejoiced  that  God  had  opened  a  door  of  faith  to  foreigners  to  come 
into  His  kingdom. 

Paul  saw  from  this  first  journey  the  golden  dream  of  a  new- 
age  for  the  world  outside  Palestine,  and  that  his  work  was  to  be 
there.  He  found  the  people  careless  and  ignorant  about  their 
idols,  and  only  held  to  the  temples  by  the  enticements  of  the 
priests ;  and  they  were  startled  and  attracted  by  a  new  gospel 
which  bade  them  rise  up  and  live  the  higher  life  of  which  their 
own  priests  never  spoke.  The  Greek  and  Roman  religions  had 
got  mixed  up  with  wild  Asiatic  beliefs  and  customs,  and  together 
they  had  sunk  to  such  a  low  level  of  feasting  and  revelry  that 
the  time  was  ripe  for  a  call  to  quit  the  life  of  beasts  and  live  the 
lives  of  men.  God  had  opened  a  door  to  foreigners — not  the 
narrow  door  of  the  Jewish  synagogue,  with  its  rules  and  tradi- 
tions, which,  Jesus  said,  kept  the  people  out  of  the  kingdom  of 
God,  but  the  wide  door  of  Christianity,  through  which  all  men 
could  enter  who  believed  in  God  and  His  Son  and  lived  the 
higher  life. 

With  the  great  thought  burning  in  his  soul  that  he  would 
spread  the  gospel  of  Jesus  throughout  the  whole  Roman  Empire, 
Paul  settled  down  in  Antioch  to  weave  and  stitch  and  work  for 
his  daily  bread.  Toiling  at  his  loom,  he  expounded  to  his  listeners 
and  to  the  world  the  gospel  of  salvation  as  Jesus  taught  it,  and  as 
it  had  been  made  clear  to  himself;  and  we  can  picture  these  grave- 
faced  men  sitting  round  him,  listening  to  words  like  this : — 

"  Brothers,  if  a  man  be  discovered  in  a  fault,  speak  to  him  in 
a  spirit  of  humility,  looking  to  yourselves,  lest  you  should  also  be 
tempted.  Bear  one  another's  burdens,  and  so  keep  the  Spirit  of 
Jesus.  If  any  man  thinks  himself  to  be  something  when  he  is 
nothing,  he  only  deceives  himself.  Let  every  man  examine  him- 
self, and  he  shall  have  satisfaction  in  himself,  and  not  praise  from 
his  neighbour.  Let  him  that  is  being  taught  communicate  all 
good  things  to  his  teacher.  Do  not  be  deceived ;  for  God  is  not 
mocked.  Men  shall  reap  what  they  sow.  He  that  sows  for  this 
world  shall  reap  worldly  things ;  but  he  that  sows  in  the  Spirit  of 
Jesus  shall  of  Him  reap  life  for  evermore.  Let  us  not  be  weary 
in  doing  well :  for  in  due  time  we  shall  reap,  if  we  do  not  faint. 
So  then,  as  we  have  an  opportunity,  let  us  work  for  good  toward 
all  men,  especially  toward  Christians." 

But  his  large  heart  was  soon  to  be  vexed  by  contact  with 
smaller  minds,  who  had  not  risen  to  the  height  of  Jesus,  and  who 
would  seek  to  force  Paul  into  their  view  that  Christianity  was 
only  for  those  who  became  Jews  and  received  the  mark  of  a  Jew. 


222  FALSE   JERUSALEM    CHRISTIANS. 

False  Jerusalem  Christians. 

ANTIOCH:    AGED  40-50. 

PETER,  the  large-hearted  apostle,  was  also  a  traveller,  although 
he  did  not  go  so  far  as  Paul ;  and  hearing  of  the  congregation 
at  Antioch,  he  came  thither  on  a  visit.  The  old  fisherman  rejoiced 
when  he  heard  from  Paul  and  Barnabas  of  the  great  success  of 
their  visit  to  the  cities  of  Cyprus  and  Galatia,  and  he  mingled 
with  the  foreign  Christians  of  Antioch,  sharing  in  their  work,  and 
sitting  at  their  meals  as  freely  as  if  they  were  all  Jews.  Accord- 
ing to  the  Jewish  religious  law,  no  Jew  could  eat  food  with  one 
who  was  not  circumcised,  or  enter  his  house.  Paul  said  that  this 
did  not  apply  to  Christians ;  but  there  were  other  Christian  Jews 
who  said  it  did,  and  since  he  was  last  in  Jerusalem  their  influence 
had  grown. 

When  they  heard  there  of  the  great  journey  of  Paul  and 
Barnabas,  and  of  the  numbers  of  foreigners  who  were  becoming 
Christians,  they  resolved  to  try  to  put  a  stop  to  it ;  and  men  came 
all  the  way  to  Antioch  to  tell  them  that  they  were  not  Christians 
unless  they  were  circumcised,  and  that  the  Jewish  Christians 
should  separate  themselves  from  the  foreign  Christians. 

But  they  little  guessed  the  man  they  had  to  meet  in  Paul  of 
Tarsus.  He  knew  they  were  not  sincerely  wishing  Christianity  to 
spread,  but  were  hypocrites  belonging  to  a  sect  of  the  Pharisees 
— the  kind  of  men  who  had  tried  to  entrap  Jesus  in  the  temple 
by  pretending  to  be  followers  of  His.  They  had  got  secretly  in 
among  the  Christians  of  Jerusalem,  to  spoil  the  liberty  of  Chris- 
tianity and  make  it  a  buttress  of  the  old  Jewish  religion.  But 
Paul  was  also  a  Pharisee,  and  was  armed  to  meet  them.  Although 
they  brought  no  letter  from  the  leading  Christians  at  Jerusalem, 
they  came  with  an  air  of  authority  which  deceived  many. 

Standing  up  in  the  meeting  of  Christians,  as  messengers  from 
the  apostles,  they  amazed  the  people  by  saying,  with  an  appearance 
of  great  sincerity  and  learning,  "  Unless  you  are  all  circumcised, 
in  the  way  described  in  the  laws  of  Moses,  you  cannot  be  saved." 
The  laws  of  Moses  !  The  sayings  of  Jesus  were  their  laws.  Paul 
had  told  them  little  about  Moses,  but  much  about  Jesus  their 
Master,  and  said  that  if  they  believed  in  the  living  God,  and 
Jesus  the  Christ,  they  would  be  saved.  And  now  these  strangers 
in  white  tunics  had  come  all  the  way  from  Jerusalem  to  tell  them 
that  this  was  wrong.  Paul  answered  them  at  once  that  they  either 
did  not  understand  the  glorious  gospel  of  Jesus,  or  else  they  were 


FALSE    JERUSALEM    CHRISTIANS.  223 

false  Christians  who  wished  to  prevent  it  spreading  over  the  world. 
We  do  not  know  his  exact  words,  but  this  is  part  of  what  he 
afterwards  wrote  : — 

"If  you  bear  the  name  of  a  Jew,  and  trust  to  the  Jewish 
religious  law,  and  glory  in  God,  and  approve  of  what  you  think 
excellent ;  and  being  taught  out  of  the  Jewish  law,  are  confident 
that  you  are  a  guide  to  the  blind,  a  light  to  them  that  are  in  dark- 
ness, a  corrector  of  the  foolish,  and  a  teacher  of  babes  :  if  you 
find  in  your  law  a  form  of  knowledge  and  truth,  and  teach  others, 
why  do  you  not  teach  yourself?  You  who  teach  that  a  man  should 
not  steal,  do  you  steal  ?  You  who  say  that  a  man  should  not  be 
unfaithful,  are  you  faithful?  You  who  hate  idols,  do  you  rob 
temples?  You  who  glory  in  the  Jewish  law,  do  you  dishonour 
God  by  breaking  the  law?  Isaiah  said,  God's  name  is  despised 
among  foreigners  because  of  you. 

"  Circumcision  is  of  some  use  to  a  Jew,  if  he  keeps  the  Jewish 
law;  but  if  he  breaks  the  law,  it  is  not.  And  if  an  uncircum- 
cised  person  were  to  keep  the  Jewish  law,  would  it  not  be  just  as 
good  as  if  he  were  circumcised?  Would  not  he,  by  keeping  the 
law,  condemn  you  who,  with  your  circumcision,  are  law-breakers  ? 
For  he  is  not  a  real  Jew  who  is  one  to  outward  appearance  only, 
nor  is  he  truly  circumcised  who  is  so  outwardly  only;  but  he 
alone  is  a  true  Jew  who  is  one  in  his  inward  life.  True  circum- 
cision is  a  pure  heart,  that  obeys  the  spirit,  and  does  not  merely 
keep  the  letter;  whose  praise  is  not  from  men,  but  of  God." 

But  these  Jews  were  men  of  position,  and  their  words  had 
a  different  effect  upon  Peter.  He  was  a  Jew  of  Palestine,  and 
when  they  argued  they  convinced  him  they  were  right  and  Paul 
was  wrong,  and  that  he  himself,  a  circumcised  Jew,  was  doing 
wrong  in  keeping  company  with  uncircumcised  men ;  and  he  drew 
back  from  the  men  of  Antioch,  and  would  no  longer  sit  at  table 
with  them.  The  Jews  of  Antioch,  who  had  become  Christians, 
did  the  same,  and  there  was  a  split  between  the  Jews  and  the 
foreigners  deep  enough  to  ruin  the  congregation.  Even  Barnabas, 
Paul's  faithful  friend,  was  so  carried  away  that  he  was  inclined 
to  side  with  Peter  and  the  men  from  Jerusalem. 

What  a  spectacle  for  scoffing  unbelievers  !  Peter  and  the  Jews 
on  one  side,  Paul  and  the  foreigners  on  the  other.  Both  could 
not  be  right,  and  it  must  be  settled  quickly.  They  said  his  whole 
plan  of  work  was  wrong,  and  that  the  elders  at  Jerusalem  said 
so  too.  Who  was  Paul  that  he  should  set  himself  against  James, 
the  brother  of  Jesus,  and  the  apostles  who  had  lived  with  Him  ? 

But  Paul  knew  the  mind  and  teaching  of  Jesus,  and  that  he 
was  in  the  right.     The  change  that  Jesus  required  was  of  the  heart 


224  CAN    FOEEIGNERS    BE    CHRISTIANS? 

— not  a  mark  upon  the  body.  What  were  His  sayings?  "He 
that  believeth  on  Me  hath  everlasting  life."  And  at  Capernaum, 
in  reply  to  Peter  himself,  did  He  not  say,  "Nothing  which  a 
man  eateth  can  defile  him,  neither  eating  with  unwashed  hands  "  ? 
And  yet  Peter  had  forgotten  this,  and  was  now  for  narrowing  the 
door  into  the  kingdom  of  God. 


Can   Forei§:ners  be  Christians? 

ANTIOCH  :    AGED   40-50. 

THROUGH  the  sunny  streets  of  the  city,  the  Christians,  Jews 
and  foreigners  alike,  were  gathering  to  their  meeting-place 
to  discuss  the  vital  question  raised  by  the  men  from  Jerusalem. 
Had  Paul  made  Christianity  too  easy  1  Had  they  to  revise  his 
work,  and  learn  and  obey  all  the  laws  of  the  Jewish  religion  1  Had 
he  taught  what  was  not  true  ?  The  discussion  grew  warm  in  the 
crowded  meeting,  and  as  Paul  saw  the  white-haired  apostle  Peter 
being  deceived,  and  lending  his  great  weight  to  the  hypocrites  who 
were  striving  to  put  out  of  the  congregation  men  who  showed  the 
spirit  of  Jesus,  by  giving  money  for  the  poor  Christians  in  Jeru- 
salem, he  was  deeply  moved.  Turning  upon  Peter,  as  the  man 
whose  example  was  greatest,  and  who  had  forgotten  himself,  Paul 
exclaimed, — 

"You  are  a  Jew,  and  since  you  became  a  follower  of  Jesus 
you  have  lived  like  a  foreigner,  free  from  all  the  rules  of  the 
Jewish  religion,  no  longer  obeying  them  as  other  Jews  do.  Why 
then  do  you  wish  to  make  these  foreigners  obey  them  ? " 

Paul's  glowing  eyes  were  turned  upon  his  friend  as  he  put  this 
piercing  question,  and  Peter  felt  that  he  had  been  led  into  trying 
to  bind  the  yoke  of  the  Jewish  law  upon  the  necks  of  strangers, 
although  he  considered  himself  free.  Paul  then  stated  what  was 
the  broad  gospel  of  Jesus,  and  that,  as  honest  men,  they  must  not 
make  it  narrower. 

"  We  who  have  been  born  Jews  know  that  a  man  cannot  be 
made  good  by  obeying  the  laws  and  traditions  of  the  Jewish 
religion,  but  only  through  faith  in  Jesus  the  Christ.  We  Jews 
believe  in  Jesus  the  Christ,  that  we  may  be  made  good  by  faith  in 
Him,  and  not  by  obeying  laws,  for  no  man  can  be  made  good  by 
keeping  them." 

There  was  no  one  there  who  had  sunk  deeper  into  the  mire  of 
the  Jewish  law,  in  a  vain  striving  after  righteousness,  than  he, 


CAN    FOREIGNERS   BE    CHRISTIANS?  225 

or  who  knew  more  of  its  hopeless  bitterness,  and  the  joy  of  de- 
liverance. Free  himself,  would  he  make  slaves  of  others'?  He 
continued, — 

"  If  I  were  now  to  set  up  the  rules  which  I  have  not  kept, 
I  should  show  myself  to  have  been  a  wrongdoer.  Obedience  to 
them  is  nothing  to  me,  for  I  obey  God.  When  Jesus  died  on 
the  cross,  my  obedience  to  the  Jewish  law  died  also.  Now  the 
Spirit  of  Jesus  lives  in  me,  and  the  life  which  I  now  live  is  not  a 
life  of  obedience  to  the  Jewish  law,  but  of  faith  in  Jesus  the 
Son  of  God,  who  loved  me,  and  died  for  me.  I  have  no  wish  to 
make  light  of  the  grace  of  God,  but  this  I  say.  If  a  man  can  be 
made  good  through  obeying  the  Jewish  law,  Jesus  died  for 
nothing." 

These  warm  and  stirring  words  touched  Peter,  who  felt  that  he 
was  right  at  first,  and  should  not  have  listened  to  these  false  men. 
Barnabas  now  joined  with  Paul  in  telling  them  that  they  did  not 
understand  the  gospel  of  Jesus,  which  was  freedom,  and  not  bond- 
age ;  but  they  were  unmoved. 

From  what  they  had  said  of  the  opinions  of  the  apostles  and 
elders  at  Jerusalem,  Paul  felt  that  this  division  between  Jews  and 
foreigners,  which  had  come  down  from  the  ages,  could  not  be 
settled  in  Antioch.  He  must  go  to  Jerusalem,  and  have  it  made 
clear  by  the  leaders  that  he  was  right  in  what  he  taught.  If  they 
said  yes,  it  would  put  down  these  mischief-makers.  Even  if  they 
would  not  support  him,  he  would  not  yield  up  to  man  what 
he  had  received  of  God,  but  would  return  to  Antioch  again.  And 
the  congregation  agreed  that  he  and  Barnabas  should  be  sent 
to  Jerusalem  to  have  the  great  question  finally  settled.  Must 
foreigners  be  circumcised  1 

It  seems  strange  to  us  that  such  a  question  should  have  been 
forced  upon  Paul ;  and  it  shows  the  strong  hold  their  early 
Jewish  training  had  upon  the  apostles,  that,  so  soon  after  the 
death  of  Jesus,  they  should  have  been  in  doubt  about  those  little 
rules  and  ceremonies  which  He  so  often  broke,  and  bade  the  people 
disregard.  They  had  to  be  shaken  by  the  strong  hand  of  Paul  be- 
fore they  fully  realized  that  the  religion  of  Jesus  the  Galilean 
was  not  a  thing  of  race  or  place,  but  was  for  all  men  every- 
where, and  that  in  its  mighty  sweep  all  things  that  would  limit 
or  restrict  it  must  go  down.  And  yet  we  see  many  Chris- 
tians deeply  divided  to-day  as  to  how  and  when  they  should  be 
baptized,  or  whether  they  need  be  baptized  at  all,  and  in  regard 
to  many  other  things.  But  the  large  heart  of  Paul  was  bent  on  this 
only,  that  men  must  turn  to  the  living  God,  and  have  faith  in 
His  Son,   and  live  lives  worthy  of  that  great  change;  and  the 

(1.040)  16 


226  A   WINTER    RIDE. 

world  was  not  too  large,  nor  men  too  diverse,  for  all  to  enter 
by  the  door  which  Jesus  opened  into  His  kingdom. 


A  Winter  Ride. 

ANTIOCH  :      AGED     40-50. 

I  IT  the  winter  months  the  voyage  along  the  Syrian  coast  is  so 
stormy  and  exposed  that  the  frail  coasting  boats  were  all 
beached  or  kept  in  harbours,  and  so  Paul  and  his  companions 
would  have  to  go  to  Jerusalem  by  land,  if  they  were  to  go  at  once. 
It  was  a  journey  of  about  seven  hundred  miles,  and  would  take 
about  six  weeks ;  but  they  were  not  now  amongst  the  snow-clad 
mountains  of  Galatia,  where  travelling  was  impossible  in  winter, 
but  close  to  the  sea,  where,  although  there  were  storms  and  rain, 
there  was  little  frost,  and  many  days  of  sunshine. 

Paul,  Barnabas,  Peter,  and  some  men  of  the  city  were  going, 
and  the  Christians  would  see  them  well  provided  with  money, 
food,  and  clothing  for  the  journey,  with  asses  to  carry  their  stuff, 
and  tents  to  sleep  in  at  night ;  and  friends  accompanied  them  out 
a  part  of  the  way,  for  they  were  going  to  plead  for  them  all. 
The  Jerusalem  Jews  who  had  caused  all  the  trouble  were  already 
gone ;  for  although  Paul  spread  his  own  views  upon  the  foreigners 
question  wherever  he  spoke  on  the  journey,  they  are  never 
mentioned. 

The  winter  road  from  Antioch  to  Palestine  was  well  known, 
for  merchants  and  traders  were  coming  and  going  by  it  all  the 
year.  It  was  paved  with  Roman  flag-stones,  and  went  by  the  side 
of  the  sea,  with  stone  bridges  over  the  rivers.  They  would  not 
travel  alone,  but  in  a  caravan  of  camels  and  asses,  laden  with 
goods,  going  southward  on  business,  accompanied  by  plenty  of 
men  armed  with  sticks,  swords,  and  spears,  to  defend  them  from 
the  robbers  of  the  hills  and  caves,  who  were  ever  on  the  watch  for 
people  with  well-laden  beasts. 

It  was  the  rainy  season,  with  grey  clouds  drifting  along  the 
hillsides ;  and  in  every  gorge  and  glen  channels  that  for  months 
in  the  summer  were  beds  of  white  stones,  without  a  drop  of 
water,  were  now  rivers  deep  and  broad,  that  flooded  the  country, 
and  often  surrounded  the  bridges,  so  that  they  had  to  wait 
days  before  they  could  cross  over.  With  roads  washed  away 
and  bridges  flooded,  travelling  was  slow  and  often  dangerous. 
We  can  picture  them  walking  their  animals  cautiously  into  the 


A    WINTER    RIDE.  227 

deep  water  of  the  fords,  with  asses  here  and  there  stumbling  and 
falling,  half-drowning  the  riders  and  drenching  the  saddle-bags,  for 
that  would  be  every  traveller's  experience  on  such  a  journey. 

Day  after  day  they  rode  along  by  the  grey  sea,  that  broke 
against  black  rocks,  and  poured  white-crested  waves  far  up  the 
pebbly  bays,  and  over  banks  of  yellow  sand ;  while  on  the  other 
hand  rose  bare  hills,  glittering  with  moisture,  and  seamed  with 
water-courses.  Often  the  clouds  parted  into  blue  sky,  and  a  burst 
of  sunshine  swej)t  along  the  hillsides,  turning  the  falls  into  glister- 
ing snow,  and  the  sea  into  cobalt  blue.  At  night  they  sought 
the  protection  of  the  village  house  for  strangers,  where  they  got 
little  warmth  from  the  wood  fires,  and  but  scant  sleeping  space  in 
a  crowded  room,  which  you  w^ould  not  think  good  enough  or  clean 
enough  for  your  horse,  but  where  they  had  to  wrap  themselves  in 
thick  cloaks  and  skins  of  sheep  and  buffalo,  and  sleep  as  best  they 
could. 

Passing  through  the  province  of  Phoenicia,  they  stayed  for 
some  time  at  the  large  towns  of  Tyre  and  Sidon,  and  spoke  to 
the  workmen,  who  could  make  glass  of  all  colours,  and  twist  it 
into  beautiful  shapes,  and  melt  tin,  brass,  silver,  and  gold  in  their 
brick  furnaces,  that  smoked  round  the  harbours  crowded  with 
winter  shipping.  They  told  the  Christians  of  the  great  success  of 
the  gospel  in  the  cities  of  Galatia,  and  that  they  were  going  up  to 
Jerusalem  about  the  question  of  admitting  foreigners ;  and  as 
Paul  bade  them  farewell  in  words  like  these,  the  Christians  of 
Phoenicia  were  glad, — 

"  Now  to  Him  that  is  able  to  establish  you  according  to  my 
gospel  of  Jesus  the  Christ,  revealing  the  mystery  that  has  been 
silent  for  ages,  and,  according  to  the  Bible,  is  now  being  made 
known  to  all  nations,  that  they  may  obey  the  true  faith  in  the  only 
wise  God,  through  Jesus  the  Christ,  be  the  glory  for  evermore." 

Still  keeping  along  by  the  sea-coast,  they  travelled  on  into 
Palestine,  with  the  wooded  hills  of  Galilee  above  them,  until  they 
turned  up  into  the  hills  of  Samaria,  where  they  had  many  friends. 
And  as  they  went  from  village  to  village,  and  glen  to  glen,  they 
spread  the  news  amongst  the  Christians  of  their  success  in  Antioch 
and  Galatia,  and  why  they  were  going  to  Jerusalem.  And  the 
people  of  Samaria  rejoiced  greatly,  for  they  did  not  like  the  rules 
of  the  Jerusalem  rabbis,  and  favoured  Paul  when  he  said  that 
the  religion  of  Jesus  was  for  Jews  and  foreigners  alike. 

"  Having  this  hope,  therefore,  we  use  great  boldness  in  speaking  : 
not  as  Moses  spoke,  who  put  a  veil  upon  his  face,  before  a  people 
whose  minds  were  hardened.  And  even  to  this  day,  with  the  Jews, 
at  the  reading  of  the  Scriptures,  the  veil  remains ;  but  it  is  done 


228  TEYING   A   MIDDLE    COUKSE. 

away  in  Jesus.  Still  with  them,  when  the  words  of  Moses  are 
read,  a  veil  is  upon  their  hearts;  but  when  they  turn  to  the 
Lord  Jesus,  that  veil  is  taken  away.  The  Lord  Jesus  is  the 
Spirit ;  and  wherever  His  Spirit  is,  there  is  liberty.  And  we  all, 
with  faces  unveiled,  seeing  as  in  a  mirror  the  glory  of  the  L©rd, 
are  changed  into  a  likeness  to  Him,  from  glory  to  glory,  by  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord." 

Soon  they  were  traversing  the  bare  hills  of  Judea,  where  they 
had  few  friends,  and  at  last  they  rode  through  the  Damascus  gate 
into  the  great  city.  Six  years  had  passed  since  Paul  was  last  there, 
as  the  bearer  of  a  message  of  goodwill  from  Antioch.  Now  he 
was  back,  to  defend  himself  and  them  from  the  attacks  of  men 
who  had  travelled  seven  hundred  miles  to  do  him  an  injury — a 
poor  return  indeed  for  the  kindness  which  rich  and  poor  alike 
among  the  Antioch  Christians  had  shown  to  the  poor  Christians 
of  Jerusalem,  when  distressed  by  famine  and  persecution. 


Trying  a  Middle  Course. 

JERUSALEM:     AGED    40-50. 

IF  they  rode  into  a  city  with  sunshine  in  its  streets,  and  on  the 
golden  roof  of  the  temple,  it  would  not  be  many  days  until 
the  coloured  pavements  of  the  open  courts  were  washed  with  rush- 
ing rain  or  lashed  with  hail,  for  in  winter  the  days  changed 
quickly  from  bright  to  grey.  They  went  to  the  chiefs  among  the 
Christians — most  likely  to  the  house  of  Mark's  mother ;  and  Paul 
soon  found  that  the  men  who  had  travelled  so  far  to  trouble  them 
at  Antioch  were  not  leaders  in  their  own  city,  for  he  and  his 
friends  were  welcomed  by  the  apostles  and  elders,  w^ho  called  a 
meeting  of  the  Christians  to  hear  what  they  had  to  tell. 

The  meeting  was  in  a  large  room,  and  there  he  and  Barnabas 
told  the  story  of  their  distant  travels,  preaching  the  glorious 
gospel  of  the  living  God  and  faith  in  Jesus,  and  of  the  numbers  of 
foreigners  who  believed  and  gave  up  their  idols,  and  of  the  con- 
gregations, especially  at  Antioch,  gathered  together. 

But  other  men  spoke  after  them,  Christian  Pharisees  of  Jeru- 
salem, who  believed  that  Jesus  was  the  Christ,  but  that  all  foreign 
Christians  must  be  circumcised,  and  taken  bound  to  obey  the  laws 
and  the  traditions  of  Moses.  They  said  that  the  foreigners  whom 
Paul  had  admitted  as  Christians  were  not  Christians  at  all,  for 
they  had  not  been  circumcised,  and  ate  all  kinds  of  flesh  with 


TRYING   A    MIDDLE    COURSE.  229 

blood  in  it,  married  whom  they  should  not  marry,  did  not  keep 
the  laws  of  Moses,  and  went  sometimes  to  festivals  in  the  idols' 
temples. 

Paul  replied  that  they  did  not  need  to  keep  rules  which  Jesus 
had  set  aside,  and  that  righteousness  was  to  be  reached,  not  by 
obeying  the  Jewish  law,  but  by  faith  in  Jesus,  who,  without  cir- 
cumcision, opened  the  door  of  the  kingdom  to  all  believers.  And 
he  would  remind  them  that  they  approved  of  his  teaching  six 
years  before,  when  Titus  was  with  him  in  Jerusalem. 

The  apostles  and  elders  thought  it  was  a  matter  that  should 
not  be  quickly  disposed  of,  and  no  decision  was  come  to  that  day. 
After  a  time  another  meeting  was  held,  which  the  chief  Christians 
attended — James,  the  aged  brother  of  Jesus,  sitting  in  his  white 
dress  as  head  of  the  meeting.  Again  the  Pharisee  Christians  urged 
their  objections  to  Paul's  foreign  Christians,  and  again  Paul  and 
Barnabas  replied  that  they  did  not  require  to  receive  the  mark 
of  a  Jew  and  keep  the  Jewish  law.  The  dispute  grew  sharper, 
for  these  Christians  were  backed  by  false  spies  from  the  out- 
side, who  had  joined  to  spoil  the  glorious  liberty  of  Christ's 
teaching ;  and  they  violently  attacked  Paul  and  all  his  work,  and 
said  he  was  a  false  teacher,  according  to  Moses.  He  replied  that 
he  was  a  follower  of  Jesus,  and  a  true  interpreter  of  the  will  of 
Cod  to  all  mankind.  When  a  dispute  arises  about  matters  of 
faith  and  belief,  and  the  sweet  spirit  of  Jesus  is  absent,  it  soon 
grows  bitter  and  uncharitable.  Amid  the  confusion  of  words  one 
thing  was  missed.  What  about  women?  They  did  not  receive 
any  mark  of  a  Jew.  Were  they  to  be  shut  out?  Paul  made 
them  equal  with  men  by  faith.  Had  not  Jesus  said  to  a  woman 
who  sat  at  His  feet,  "Go  in  peace;  thy  faith  hath  saved  thee"? 
and  to  another,  "  She  hath  chosen  the  better  part,  which  shall 
never  be  taken  from  her  "  ? 

Peter  rose — the  rugged  fisherman  whose  arms  sheltered  Jesus, 
who  toiled,  and  wept,  and  prayed  with  Him,  and  who  questioned 
Him  on  this  very  thing — the  chief  of  the  apostles ;  and  there  was 
silence  to  hear  him,  for  who  could  better  tell  the  mind  of  Jesus 
than  the  man  who  was  the  first  to  recognize  the  Christ  in  Him  ? 
He  was  older  than  in  these  days  of  rain  and  cloud,  of  fishing 
and  swimming,  of  walking  in  storm  and  sunshine  ;  and  he  knew, 
better  than  any,  the  clearness  of  vision,  strength  of  will,  and 
strong,  fiery  soul  that  was  in  the  grey-eyed  Jew  of  Tarsus,  who 
sat  among  them  in  his  travel-stained  cloak. 

"Brothers,"  he  said,  "you  know  that  a  good  while  ago,  God 
chose  me  from  among  you,  that  by  my  mouth  foreigners  should 
hear  the  words  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  and  believe.     And  God, 


230  TRYING   A    MIDDLE    COURSE. 

who  knows  men's  hearts,  showed  us  the  truth  of  their  conversion 
by  giving  them  His  Holy  Spirit,  just  as  He  gave  it  to  us.  God 
makes  no  difference  between  a  Jew  and  a  foreigner,  making  clean 
their  hearts  by  faith  in  Jesus.  Why  then  do  you  now  tempt  God 
by  seeking  to  put  a  burden  upon  the  necks  of  foreigners  which 
neither  our  Jewish  fathers  nor  we  were  able  to  bear?  We  all 
alike  believe  that  we  shall  be  saved  through  the  grace  of  Jesus 
the  Christ,  in  the  same  way  that  foreigners  believe." 

Peter  used  the  same  arguments  which  Paul  used  with  him  in 
Antioch.  There  was  no  answer  to  his  attitude  ;  for  after  his  vision 
of  the  white  sheet  at  Joppa,  when  he  himself  admitted  Cornelius 
the  Italian  without  circumcision,  it  had  been  confirmed  by  them 
in  Jerusalem.  Paul  and  Barnabas  then  told  them  of  all  the  signs 
and  wonders  which  they  had  done  among  foreigners  through  the 
power  of  God ;  and  the  meeting  listened,  and  when  they  finished 
no  one  spoke,  for  the  Pharisee  Christians  could  no  longer  defend 
their  behaviour.  James,  the  aged  elder,  sat  with  his  grey  hair 
falling  over  a  white  linen  robe,  and  it  was  his  place  as  chief  to 
say  what  was  the  feeling  of  the  meeting.  When  he  leaned  for- 
ward to  speak,  all  listened  to  his  words,  as  to  a  judge  deciding 
between  Paul  and  his  assailants — between  faith  in  Jesus  and 
obedience  to  the  Jewish  law. 

"  Brethren,  listen  to  me,"  he  said  slowly  and  with  great  solem- 
nity :  "  Peter  has  told  you  how  God  first  came  to  foreigners,  to 
take  from  among  them  a  people  for  His  name,  as  foretold  in  the 
Bible.  Therefore  my  judgment  is,  that  we  trouble  not  with  cir- 
cumcision and  the  law  those  foreigners  who  have  turned  to  God, 
but  that  we  write  them  to  keep  from  eating  meat  that  has  been 
put  before  idols,  and  from  forbidden  marriages,  and  from  eating 
blood,  or  the  flesh  of  animals  that  have  been  strangled.  For  in 
every  city,  for  hundreds  of  years,  there  have  been  men  who  teach 
the  laws  of  Moses,  and  his  books  are  read  every  Sabbath  day 
in  the  synagogues." 

Paul  had  won !  Foreigners  could  be  Christians  without  circum- 
cision or  keeping  the  whole  Jewish  religious  law.  James  had 
advised  that  they  should  avoid  doing  certain  things  which  all 
Jews  held  in  abhorrence,  but  that  was  advice  only,  not  law.  And 
yet  it  was  an  unsatisfactory  result,  for  it  made  the  decision  a  com- 
promise or  middle  course  between  Paul  and  his  opponents,  so  that 
it  did  not  grant  all  that  Paul  demanded,  but  granted  enough  to 
turn  his  opponents  into  bitter  enemies. 


RIDING    AND    REJOICING.  231 

Riding:  and   Rejoicing. 

JERUSALEM  :     AGED    40-50. 

AFTEE,  the  meeting  broke  up,  and  men  had  gone  to  their  homes 
-^^  to  talk,  it  became  apparent  that  the  judgment  of  James 
would  not  settle  the  great  dispute.  It  was  not  agreed  to  by  all, 
and  the  Christian  Pharisees  were  of  the  same  opinion  still.  Paul, 
Barnabas,  and  Peter  also  held  to  their  opinion  that  no  Jewish 
rules  should  be  forced  upon  foreigners.  James  was  a  man  who 
never  had  his  hair  cut,  and  would  not  taste  butcher  meat  or 
wine,  and  spent  most  of  his  life  in  the  temple,  obeying  the  rules 
of  the  Jewish  law.  He  placed  value  on  outward  observances,  but 
Jesus  paid  little  heed  to  them.  And  so,  while  James  leaned  to 
Paul  about  circumcision,  he  also  leaned  to  the  Christian  Pharisees 
about  eating  meats,  and  spoke  favourably  of  the  reading  of  the 
Law  in  the  Jewish  synagogues.  And  the  effect  was  that  the 
Christian  Pharisees  were  as  bitter  as  ever  against  Paul  and  the 
foreign  Christians,  and  they  in  their  turn  paid  little  heed  to  the 
Jewish  advice  given  by  James. 

But  the  compromise  pleased  the  other  apostles  and  elders,  and 
Paul  having  won  in  the  main,  was  willing  to  let  it  pass,  so  long  as 
he  was  free  to  preach  what  he  had  been  preaching.  That  there 
might  be  no  mistake,  James  and  his  friends  wrote  a  letter ;  but 
they  did  not  hand  it  to  Paul,  who  had  come  seven  hundred  miles 
for  it.  They  appointed  Judas  and  Silas,  two  good  men  of  Jerusa- 
lem, to  go  back  with  Paul  to  Antioch  and  read  and  explain  the 
letter  to  the  Christians  there.  Why  Paul  and  Barnabas  were  not 
left  to  do  it  themselves  we  do  not  know. 

This  is  the  first  circular  letter  to  Christians  of  which  we  have 
any  record.  They  became  common  in  later  years,  and  the  most 
important  are  Paul's  own  letters.  It  began  with  a  greeting  from 
the  apoetles  and  elders  to  the  foreign  Christians  in  Antioch,  Syria, 
and  Cilicia, — 

"We  have  heard  that  some  men  who  came  from  us,  but  to 
whom  we  gave  no  instructions,  have  troubled  your  souls  with  their 
words.  We  have  made  up  our  minds  on  the  matter,  and  think  it 
good  to  send  Judas  and  Silas  to  you,  with  our  beloved  Barnabas 
and  Paul,  who  have  risked  their  lives  for  Jesus ;  and  these  men 
will  explain  the  matter  to  you. 

"  It  seemed  good  to  us,  and  to  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  lay  no  greater 
burden  upon  you  than  these  necessary  things  :  keep  from  eating 
food  that  has  been  put  before  idols,  or  meat  that  has  blood  in  it, 


232  RIDING    AND    REJOICING. 

or  any  animal  that  has  been  strangled ;  and  keep  from  forbidden 
marriages.     Do  this,  and  it  shall  be  well  with  you.     Farewell." 

Did  Paul  see  this  letter  before  he  left  Jerusalem  ?  For  it  did 
not  plainly  say  that  foreigners  need  not  be  circumcised,  and  left  his 
enemies  free  to  argue  still,  while  it  asked  foreigners  to  obey  Jew- 
ish rules  for  which  they  could  see  no  reason.  In  Jerusalem,  with 
its  golden  temple,  college  of  rabbis,  numerous  synagogues.  San- 
hedrim, festivals,  sacrifices,  there  was  scarcely  breathing  space  for 
Christianity,  as  Paul  knew  it.  With  many  there  it  was  only  a 
branch  of  the  old  Jewish  religion,  something  added  to  the  laws  of 
Moses,  a  fresh  sect  of  the  national  church.  But  to  Paul  it  was 
a  new  religion  which  owed  no  allegiance  to  the  old  order  of  things. 

He  had  before  preached  in  Jerusalem,  but  he  would  not  do  it 
now.  Cities  and  nations  steeped  in  darkness  were  waiting  for  the 
light ;  men  who  had  never  heard  of  the  living  God  were  kneeling 
before  dead  idols ;  multitudes  grovelling  in  bestiality  were  ready 
to  strive  after  the  higher  life  in  Jesus.  The  door  was  surely 
wide  open  now.  He  must  leave  Jerusalem,  for  the  air  of  the 
city  of  bondage  stifled  his  soul. 

Bidding  farewell  to  the  aged  Peter,  his  first  warm  friend 
amongst  the  apostles,  he  rode  out  of  the  narrow  city  gate,  accom- 
panied by  Barnabas,  his  fellow-traveller  Mark  once  more,  and 
Judas  and  Silas ;  and  with  them  also  rode  the  men  of  Antioch 
who  had  come  up  with  him  to  get  the  great  question  settled. 
With  wonder  and  awe  they  had  looked  upon  the  living  brother 
of  Jesus,  and  on  men  who  had  walked  and  talked  with  the  Lord, 
and  on  many  Christians  who  had  seen  Him  die  on  the  bitter  cross, 
and  had  seen  Him  again  as  the  risen  Saviour.  They  had  stood  in 
the  magnificent  outer  court  of  the  golden  temple,  and  heard  the 
pealing  trumpets  of  the  priests;  they  had  gazed  upon  the  rock- 
hewn  grave  in  the  rose  garden  with  tears  running  down  their 
cheeks.  Now  they  were  going  home  to  their  own  city — Christians 
who  could  speak  of  what  they  had  seen  and  heard. 

It  was  still  winter,  with  leafless  trees,  dashing  streams,  and 
white  mantles  upon  the  northern  hills,  as  they  returned  by  the 
road  they  came,  publishing  their  success  as  they  went,  to  the  Chris- 
tians by  the  way,  who  rejoiced  with  them.  It  would  take  six 
weeks  to  get  back  to  Antioch,  and  the  news  of  their  arrival  soon 
spread  among  the  Christians,  who  came  together  to  hear  their  re- 
port. The  letter  was  opened,  read,  and  explained  by  Judas  and 
Silas,  from  the  reader's  desk,  to  the  congregation,  who  rejoiced  and 
wept  for  joy  when  they  heard  that  Paul  and  Barnabas  were  right, 
and  that  the  men  who  had  so  vexed  them  had  no  right  to  speak 
for  the  apostles.     They  were  all  true  Christians,  saved  by  faith  in 


A   HOT    DISPUTE.  233 

Jesus  !  And  they  listened  while  the  two  men  urged  them  to  stand 
fast  in  the  faith,  and  confirmed  their  resolution.  And  so  the 
trouble  among  the  men  of  Antioch  was  put  to  rest,  but  only  for  a 
time,  for  the  Christian  Pharisees  would  visit  them  again,  and  try 
to  put  enmity  between  Jews  and  foreigners. 

We  do  not  read  of  Judas  and  Silas  going  to  any  other  towns 
of  Syria  or  Cilicia  ;  but  having  read  the  letter  at  Antioch,  they  were 
ready  to  return.  At  a  parting  meeting  the  Christians  told  them 
they  were  free  to  go  in  peace,  as  they  had  delivered  their  message ; 
and  Judas  went  back  to  Jerusalem,  but  Silas  preferred  to  remain. 
He  liked  the  people,  and  the  letter  had  yet  to  be  read  to  other  con- 
gregations that  had  been  troubled  by  the  false  Christians  from 
Jerusalem.  Paul  and  Barnabas  also  remained  in  the  city,  teach- 
ing the  gospel  with  many  others,  for  Antioch  was  now  the  most 
vigorous  and  wealthy  centre  of  Christianity. 


A    Hot    Dispute. 

antioch:   aged  40-50. 

THE  winter  went  slowly  past  in  Antioch,  with  snow  and  sleet, 
sunshine  and  rain,  winds  breaking  the  branches  of  the  trees, 
and  floods  washing  away  the  mountain  paths.  Spring  came  over 
the  chain  of  hills  and  the  green  woods  below  the  city,  and  in 
Seleucia  harbour  the  sailors  tested  ropes,  hoisted  sails  of  yellow 
and  brown  on  sunny  days,  repaired  and  painted  boats,  and  launched 
them  into  the  bay.  The  summer  coasting  trade  among  the  islands 
was  beginning. 

Soon  the  banks  of  the  broad  river  were  fluttering  green  with 
leaves  of  oak,  laurel,  and  juniper,  where  the  wild  vine  was  stringing 
the  branches  with  green  ribbons.  Wild-flowers  covered  the  ground 
in  the  track  of  the  sunshine,  filling  every  glen  and  hollow  with 
the  gold  of  coltsfoot  and  trefoil,  scent  of  clover,  blue-starred  peri- 
winkle, and  pomegranate  and  oleander,  towers  of  crimson  fire. 
The  storks  returned  in  long  trails  across  the  sky,  and  merchants 
and  shepherds  were  moving  on  the  roads,  with  strings  of  asses  and 
flocks  of  sheep.     The  season  for  travelling  had  come. 

Paul  had  been  back  in  Antioch  for  some  months,  strengthen- 
ing and  encouraging  the  Christians,  and  his  spirit  was  burning 
for  another  journey.  There  were  now  plenty  of  teachers  and 
preachers  in  the  city — they  could  well  spare  him  ;  and  he  proposed 
to  his  warm  friend  Barnabas  that  they  should  go  away  together. 


234  A   HOT    DISPUTE. 

*'  Let  us  go  back  and  visit  our  brothers  in  every  city  in  which  we 
have  proclaimed  the  gospel  of  Jesus,  and  see  how  they  are  doing." 
He  proposed  to  visit  all  the  towns  in  which  he  had  preached  the 
gospel  during  fifteen  years,  in  Syria,  Cilicia,  Cyprus,  and  Galatia, 
and  his  friend  was  ready.  Barnabas  thought  Mark,  his  nephew, 
should  go  with  them  as  a  companion ;  but  Paul  thought  not.  He 
had  left  them  at  Perga  on  their  last  journey,  when  they  got  to  the 
most  trying  part,  turning  back  from  the  great  work  they  were  sent 
out  to  do,  and  Paul  said  he  did  not  wish  him.  He  may  have 
thought  that  Silas  would  do  better,  as  he  could  explain  the  letter 
from  James,  which  they  would  read  wherever  they  went.  But 
Barnabas  insisted  that  Mark  should  go,  and  Paul  would  not  give 
way.  And  so  it  came  that  Barnabas  would  not  go  without  Mark, 
and  Paul  would  not  go  with  him,  and  these  two  warm  friends  had 
a  sharp  dispute,  in  which  their  journey  together  was  given  up. 

When  good  men  quarrel,  they  are  apt  to  be  unjust,  like  other 
people.  Paul  proposed  the  journey,  and  Barnabas,  leaving  him  to 
do  as  he  liked,  took  Mark,  and  went  down  to  the  harbour  of 
Seleucia.  There  they  found  a  boat,  and  sailed  away  to  his  own 
island  of  Cyprus,  that  lay  like  a  purple  cloud  on  the  glittering 
water,  to  begin  a  journey  through  the  towns,  in  the  same  order 
that  Paul  and  he  had  visited  them  years  before.  But  we  do  not 
read  that  any  of  the  men  of  Antioch  assisted  his  sudden  departure. 

It  was  not  without  regret  that  Paul  saw  his  old  friend  leav- 
ing in  this  way,  who  had  done  so  much  for  him  ;  but  Paul  had  a 
strong  will,  and  if  he  thought  the  thing  should  not  be,  not  even 
Barnabas,  his  dearest  friend,  could  alter  him.  And  so  he  parted 
from  the  man  who  welcomed  him  to  Jerusalem,  who  sought  him 
out  at  Tarsus,  and  stood  by  him  in  sickness,  and  who  so  recently 
went  to  Jerusalem  to  fight  for  him  against  those  by  whom  he  was 
attacked.  And  we  do  not  read  that  they  ever  looked  into  each 
other's  faces  again.  Barnabas  went  to  Cyprus,  but  we  do  not 
hear  of  his  returning  to  Antioch.  Mark,  however,  came  back, 
and  Paul  afterwards  spoke  of  him  and  Barnabas  in  such  friendly 
terms  that,  although  he  would  not  have  Mark  as  a  fellow-traveller, 
he  had  no  enmity  against  him. 

Paul  started  more  leisurely.  He  required  another  travelling 
companion.  Silas  was  a  Boman  citizen  like  himself,  and  not  born 
in  Jerusalem.  He  had  seen  his  zeal  in  Antioch,  and  asked  him  to  go 
instead  of  Barnabas  ;  and  he  consented  and  proved  a  good  fellow- 
traveller.  The  Christians  held  a  solemn  farewell  meeting,  and 
with  many  earnest  words  and  prayers  they  commended  the  two 
men  to  the  care  of  God,  that  He  would  keep  them  in  safety  and 
prosper  their  work.     And  Paul  admonished  them  to  be  faithful 


READING    THE    LETTER    IN    SYRIA.  235 

in  his  absence;  and  while  we  have  not  his  address,  this  is  part 
of  what  he  wrote  : — 

"Wives,  obey  your  husbands  in  everything.  Husbands,  love 
your  wives  as  you  love  yourselves ;  for  he  that  loves  his  wife  loves 
himself.  And  a  man  shall  leave  his  father  and  mother  and  join 
his  wife,  and  they  shall  be  as  one.  Let  each  one  love  his  wife  as 
himself,  and  let  the  wife  respect  her  husband. 

"  Children,  obey  your  parents;  for  the  first  commandment  and 
promise  is.  Honour  your  father  and  your  mother,  that  it  may  be 
well  with  you,  and  that  you  may  live  long  in  the  earth.  And  you 
fathers,  do  not  tempt  your  children  to  be  angry,  but  bring  them 
up  in  the  fear  and  knowledge  of  God. 

"  Slaves,  obey  your  masters,  in  fear  and  trembling,  in  singleness 
of  heart ;  not  with  eye-service,  as  men-pleasers  only,  but  as  the 
slaves  of  Jesus,  doing  God's  will  from  the  heart.  Serve  with  good 
will,  as  to  God,  and  not  to  men  :  knowing  that  whatever  good 
thing  you  do,  you  shall  receive  the  same  from  God,  whether  you 
are  a  slave  or  a  freeman.  And  you  masters,  do  the  same  to  your 
slaves,  and  keep  from  threatening :  knowing  that  your  Master  and 
theirs  is  in  heaven,  and  that  there  is  no  respect  of  persons  with 
Him." 

When  he  was  living  alone  in  Tarsus,  he  preached  the  gospel 
throughout  the  province  of  Syria,  of  which  Antioch  was  the 
capital,  and  throughout  the  province  of  Cilicia,  of  which  Tarsus 
was  the  chief  city,  and  formed  congregations  of  Christians ;  and 
he  decided  that  they  should  travel  through  these  two  provinces, 
cross  the  dark  Taurus  Mountains,  and  reach  Derbe  in  Galatia, 
the  farthest  point  of  his  former  journey.  He  was  thus  about  to 
travel  round  the  cities  of  Galatia  the  reverse  way  from  Barnabas, 
and  perhaps  they  might  meet. 


Reading  the   Letter  in  Syria. 

ANTIOCH  :    AGED   40-50. 

WITH  their  parchment  rolls,  cooking  dishes,  food  bags,  leather 
bottles  of  water,  oil,  wine,  and  bundles  of  spare  clothing 
tied  upon  asses'  backs,  along  with  a  small  tent-cover  and  a  bundle 
of  tent-stakes,  with  strong  sandals  on  their  feet  to  keep  them 
from  being  cut  with  sharp  stones,  cloaks  on  their  shoulders, 
and  thick  sticks  in  their  hands,  Paul  and  Silas  went  out  by  the 
northern  gate  of  the  city,  accompanied  by  friends  who  were  going 
to  see  them  on  their  way. 


236  READING   THE    LETTER    IN    SYRIA. 

Like  all  lonely  travellers,  they  would  start  with  a  company  of 
traders  as  soon  as  the  dawn  crimsoned  the  white  crests  of  the 
mountains  behind  the  city,  and  would  be  well  on  their  way  before 
the  sun  was  hot.  Crossing  the  winding  Orontes  by  the  bridge 
of  five  arches,  they  were  soon  riding  through  fields  of  scarlet 
poppy  and  purple  anemone  on  the  grassy  plain  of  Antioch,  to- 
wards a  wide  lake,  where  the  wild  ducks  reared  their  young,  and 
the  storks  fished  at  the  edge  of  the  water.  They  were  on  the 
great  highway  of  the  country,  along  which  Paul  had  gone  with 
his  father  and  mother  on  his  first  visit  to  Jerusalem.  Strings  of 
hairy-legged  camels  met  them,  laden  with  bales  and  sacks,  that 
had  travelled  for  hundreds  of  miles,  in  charge  of  fierce-looking 
drivers  with  torn  cloaks,  jackets  of  sheep-skin,  and  head-coverings 
tied  on  with  a  rough  twist  of  camel  rope  were  going  on  for  hun- 
dreds of  miles  more,  to  Damascus,  and  beyond. 

Paul  and  Silas  were  to  visit  the  Christians  of  Syria,  and 
would  turn  off  the  paved  highway  into  glens,  valleys,  and  plains, 
where  there  were  village  congregations,  to  read  James's  letter  to 
them,  and  speak  words  of  admonition  and  encouragement  like 
these  : — 

"  Praise  be  to  God,  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  the  Christ, 
who  has  given  us  every  spiritual  blessing  in  Jesus,  and  who  chose 
us  in  Him,  that  we  should  be  holy  and  without  blame :  making 
us  of  His  good  pleasure  sons  of  God  through  Jesus.  Through 
Him  we  have  redemption  and  forgiveness  of  our  trespasses,  by 
the  ritjhes  of  His  grace.  We  have  hoped  in  Jesus  and  believed 
to  His  praise  and  glory ;  and  you  also,  having  heard  the  word  of 
truth  and  gospel  of  your  salvation,  have  also  believed  in  Him, 
and  are  sealed  with  His  Holy  Spirit." 

By  stony  paths  and  rough  ways,  they  slowly  made  their  way 
through  the  province  of  Syria,  going  from  place  to  place,  until 
they  approached  the  pass  in  the  mountains  that  divided  Syria 
from  Paul's  own  province  of  Cilicia.  He  knew  the  long  ascent 
through  wild  gorges,  revealing  fir-clad  spurs  and  snow-crowned 
peaks,  as  they  climbed  upwards  to  the  Syrian  gates,  for  he  had 
passed  that  way  before.  They  would  turn  aside  to  huts  of  earth 
and  wood  in  the  little  villages  by  the  way ;  for  they  would  not 
have  to  sleep  in  the  house  for  strangers,  or  in  their  own  small 
tent,  but  would  find  friendly  doors  opened  to  them,  with  a  pallet 
of  straw,  a  bowl  of  buffalo's  or  ass's  milk,  and  a  piece  of  rough 
bread,  which  would  be  all  that  they  required. 

From  the  top  of  the  Am  anus  Mountains  they  went  down 
through  gorges  equally  wild  and  narrow,  but  wooded  with  thickets 
of  myrtle  and   arbutus,   towards  the  marshy  plain,   crowded  at 


READING   THE 'LETTER    IN    SYRIA.  237 

that  time  of  the  year  with  black  buffaloes  and  wild  geese.  The 
road  went  down  to  the  edge  of  the  sea,  and  looking  across  the 
blue  gulf  at  evening,  they  saw  the  white  peaks  behind  Tarsus 
bathed  in  purple  and  rose,  as  the  sun  went  down  over  them. 
Again  they  would  leave  the  Roman  road  to  wander  by  tracks 
and  footpaths,  over  plains,  and  up  wide  glens,  for  Paul  knew 
Cilicia  better  than  any  other  province.  Wherever  they  went  they 
read  the  letter  from  Jerusalem,  and  strengthened  the  Christians 
to  hold  to  their  faith  in  Jesus.  And  Paul  would  speak  to  them 
in  words  like  these  : — 

"  Remember,  you  who  are  not  Jews,  and  whom  those  of  the 
circumcision  party  call  "  uncircumcised,"  that  at  one  time  you 
were  separate  from  Jesus,  outside  our  nation,  strangers  to  our 
promises,  without  liope,  and  without  God  in  the  world.  But  now 
you  who  were  once  afar  off  have  been  brought  near  in  Him.  For 
He  is  our  peace,  who  has  made  one  of  both  Jews  and  foreigners. 
He  has,  as  it  were,  broken  down  the  middle  wall  and  partition 
that  separates  them  in  the  outer  court  of  the  temple  at  Jerusalem, 
and  put  an  end  to  the  enmity  of  commandments  and  rules  under 
the  Jewish  law,  that  He  might  of  the  two  make  one  in  Him- 
self, and  so  make  peace." 

White  daisies  shone  by  the  wayside,  as  the  travellers  went 
from  place  to  place,  and  purple  violets  scented  the  air;  but  at 
night  they  heard  the  scream  of  the  hyena  and  the  howl  of  the 
wolf,  for  in  the  mountain  gorges  lions  might  be  seen  coming  down 
to  drink  at  the  streams  in  the  moonlight.  They  had  many  rivers 
and  streams  to  cross,  and  as  there  were  few  bridges  off  the  main 
road,  they  would  have  to  ride,  wade,  and  swim,  at  the  risk  of 
drowning  in  deep  water.  When  they  came  to  the  Pyramus  they 
would  seek  the  narrow  stone  bridge,  and  the  yellow  dogs  of  Missis 
would  attack  them,  as  they  did  all  strangers  who  sought  to  cross 
into  the  town ;  and  there  they  would  find  many  friends,  for  they 
were  again  on  the  great  highroad.  At  the  next  town  of  Adana 
they  would  meet  with  the  same  reception,  as  they  passed  the 
towers  at  the  bridge  of  the  Sarus,  and  looked  on  the  thick  green 
woods  of  the  country  beyond  the  walls. 

The  distance  from  Antioch  to  Tarsus  was  one  week's  riding, 
but  it  would  be  several  weeks  before  Paul  rode  in  and  took  his 
companion  to  a  friend's  house,  where  he  knew  he  would  be 
welcvomed,  whatever  their  mission.  His  father  and  mother  were 
perhaps  dead,  but  he  would  have  other  relations,  who  would  be 
glad  to  see  him  and  hear  of  his  travels,  although  some  would 
think  that  the  Jerusalem  rabbi  had  strayed  far  from  the  old 
Jewish  religion,  while  others  took  his  part. 


238  WHERE   ARMIES   PASS. 

And  there  he  would  meet  with  the  Christians,  and  read  the 
letter  of  James,  and  urge  them  not  to  be  drawn  away  from  their 
simple  faith  in  Jesus  by  the  idolatrous  festivals  and  other  tempta- 
tions of  the  priests  of  Sardanapolis  and  Semiramis.  He  may  even 
have  gone  to  the  dim  synagogue,  that  was  so  dear  to  him,  to  tell 
his  old  friends  again  of  the  glorious  gospel  of  faith  in  Jesus, 
offered  to  Jews  first,  and  also  to  foreigners  ;  and  they  would  listen, 
whether  they  believed  him  or  not.  What  he  said  at  Tarsus  we 
do  not  know,  but  this  is  what  he  wrote  : — 

"And  thus  did  Jesus,  by  His  death,  reconcile  Jews  and 
strangers  in  one  to  God ;  having  slain  the  enmity  between  them : 
preaching  good  tidings  of  peace  to  the  foreigners  afar  off,  and  to 
Jews  who  are  near.  For  through  Him  have  both  found  a  way  to 
enter  in  one  Spirit  unto  God  the  Father.  Foreigners,  then,  are 
no  more  strangers  and  travellers,  but  fellow-citizens  with  the 
Christians,  and  members  of  the  household  of  God,  in  a  house  built 
upon  the  foundation  laid  by  the  apostles  and  the  prophets,  Jesus 
Himself  being  the  chief  corner-stone ;  in  whom  all  the  building, 
rightly  put  together,  grows  into  a  holy  temple  in  the  Lord.  And 
thus  are  you  built  together  for  a  dwelling-place  of  God  in  the 
Spirit." 

But  Paul  was  only  visiting  Tarsus  by  the  way,  and  his  next 
stage  was  up  to  the  terrible  pass  of  gloom  and  cloud,  the  Oilician 
gates,  through  the  mountains. 


Where  Armies   Pass. 

TARSUS:    AGED    40-50. 

THE  time  of  year  was  at  hand  when  the  plain  of  Tarsus  be- 
came so  hot  and  unhealthy  that  many  of  the  people  packed 
their  simple  household  things  upon  camels  and  asses,  and  moved 
off  in  straggling  bands  of  men,  women,  and  children,  over  the 
plain,  and  up  the  rugged  glens  to  the  hills ;  so  that  Paul  and  Silas 
would  easily  find  travelling  companions  going  up  the  pass. 

Bidding  farewell  to  his  friends  in  Tarsus,  they  rode  out  of  the 
city  gate  along  the  road  by  the  river,  which  he  had  so  often  taken 
when  a  boy ;  through  miles  of  orchards,  where  the  white  and  pink 
blossom  of  the  trees  covered  the  ground,  and  ripening  fields  of 
wheat,  sesame,  and  barley ;  past  flat-roofed  cottages,  and  stone 
watch-towers  in  the  vineyards.  Under  the  falls  was  the  tree- 
crowned  island,  and  above,  the  blue  lake,  a  mirror  for  the 
mountains. 


V7HERE    ARMIES   PASS.  239 

They  were  riding  towards  one  of  the  most  famous  passes  in 
history,  through  which,  in  centuries  gone  by,  had  poured  for  days 
and  weeks  the  horse  and  foot  soldiers  of  the  armies  of  Alexander 
the  Great,  of  Assyria,  of  Egypt,  of  Greece,  and  of  Rome,  passing 
and  repassing  through  this  cleft  in  the  mountains,  where  the  path 
at  some  places  was  so  narrow  that  only  two  men  could  walk 
abreast.  So  many  travellers  went  up  and  down  this  long  defile 
that  there  were  shelters  built  every  few  miles ;  but  as  these 
consisted  of  four  bare  walls  and  no  roof,  their  only  use  was  to 
protect  travellers  from  attacks  from  robbers.  The  first  stop  for 
the  night  was  at  the  foot  of  the  dark  pass,  where  the  road  from 
Tarsus  was  joined  by  a  greater  road  direct  from  Antioch,  bringing 
a  constant  stream  of  merchants  at  that  travelling  season. 

Next  morning,  as  they  rode  on,  the  mountains  rose  ever  higher, 
now  clothed  with  blue  pine  woods,  now  grey  with  wind-swept 
peaks,  and,  higher  still,  white  with  sparkling  snow.  A  dangerous 
river  boiled  through  the  pass,  with  a  paved  path  winding  along 
the  cliffs  on  one  side,  and  crossing  by  a  stone  bridge  to  wind 
along  the  cliffs  on  the  other  side,  until  it  could  go  no  farther, 
and  recrossed  again.  There  was  no  footing  for  man  or  beast 
anywhere  else ;  and  the  blue  sky  above  was  only  a  span's  breadth. 
A  slip  and  roll,  and  the  ass  and  his  burden  would  go  over  the 
path's  edge,  to  be  dashed  to  pieces  before  reaching  the  torrent. 
At  the  narrowest  part  a  loaded  camel  could  scarce  get  between 
the  walls  of  rock.  Yet  tens  of  thousands  of  armed  men  had 
passed  round  that  corner,  and  the  black  rocks  had  been  rubbed 
by  the  shoulders  of  the  kings  and  princes  of  many  nations. 

The  sun's  rays  could  not  reach  Paul  and  Silas  as  they  led 
their  asses,  slipping,  climbing,  toiling  up  this  black  path  worn 
with  the  feet  of  armies ;  and  owls,  vultures,  eagles,  hawks,  and 
ravens  flew  back  and  forward  across  the  blue  span  above  to  their 
nests  in  the  cliffs.  It  was  a  dark  and  ominous  place,  dreaded  by 
all  travellers,  full  of  the  hoarse  noise  of  waters  and  the  screaming 
of  wild-birds ;  and  they  were  glad,  after  toiling  for  hours,  when 
the  cliffs  began  to  open  out  and  the  blue  sky  again  spread  over 
their  heads.  At  the  top  of  the  pass  they  were  able  to  take  the 
burdens  off  the  asses,  and  cook  their  food  at  the  house  for 
strangers.  They  had  now  reached  the  high  table-land  among  the 
mountains,  with  roads  winding  through  glens  and  hollows ;  and 
the  view  backward  into  the  lower  world  from  which  they  had  just 
come  was  terrible  in  its  grandeur.  Mountains  rose  out  of  the 
gloom,  their  chasms  filled  with  cloud  and  mist,  into  which  the  wild 
birds  dived  and  were  lost.  Coiling  and  flowing  round  jagged 
peaks  moved  a  sea  of  pale-blue  mist;    farther  off,  white  crests 


240  OVER  THE  DARK  MOUNTAINS. 

glittered  in  the  sunshine,  of  mighty  cones  that  propped  the  blue 
sky.  They  had  climbed  to  a  great  height,  for  they  could  see 
nothing  of  the  green  plains  and  golden  fields  of  the  world  bor- 
dering on  the  sea,  but  only  dark  clefts,  gorges,  and  clouds,  and 
barren  peaks  and  crests  of  snow.  They  were  crossing  the  highest 
mountains  in  that  part  of  the  world. 


Over  the  Dark  Mountains. 

TAURUS:     AGED    40-50. 

THE  road  by  which  Paul  and  Silas  went  down  the  other  side  of 
the  Taurus  Mountains  was  long  and  steep,  before  it  brought 
them  to  the  level  country  of  Antiochus,  which  they  had  to  cross. 
It  was  hilly  country,  with  wide  glens,  and  rivers  that  were  lost  in 
the  lower  marshes,  swelling  into  lakes  in  the  winter,  and  shrink- 
ing to  the  richest  of  pasture-lands  in  summer.  It  would  take 
them  several  days  to  ride  through  the  country  of  King  Antio- 
chus before  reaching  the  Roman  province  of  Galatia  beyond ; 
and  we  do  not  read  that  Paul  taught  there,  as  he  rode  on 
towards  Derbe. 

Within  a  few  hours  after  crossing  the  boundary  of  the  two 
provinces,  they  would  come  by  a  good  road  to  Derbe,  at  the  foot 
of  the  black  mountain,  and  ride  through  the  low  archway  of  the 
city  wall,  where  they  had  been  so  well  received  a  year  before. 
The  Christians  would  be  astonished  to  see  him  riding  in  from  that 
side,  and  without  Barnabas,  and  would  ask  him  many  questions — - 
where  he  had  come  from,  and  about  his  travels  since  he  was  last 
there. 

He  and  Silas  told  them  about  the  dispute  with  the  Christian 
Pharisees  at  Antioch,  and  read  and  explained  to  them  the  letter 
from  James ;  and  Silas,  having  been  chosen  by  the  living  apostles  of 
Jesus  to  read  this  letter,  would  be  received  as  a  great  man.  And 
they  would  rejoice  that  Paul  had  secured  the  right  to  all  foreigners 
to  be  Christians  without  circumcision ;  and  he  would  inquire  about 
the  state  of  their  congregation,  and  would  urge  them  to  keep  their 
faith  in  Jesus.  We  can  picture  them  crowded  together  in  a  small 
place,  listening  again  to  the  wonderful  Jew,  as  he  spoke  in  words 
like  these  : — 

"  This  I  say,  and  testify  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  that  you  must 
no  longer  live  as  many  live,  with  foolish  minds  and  darkened 
understandings,   strangers   to   the   life   that   is   in  God,   because 


OVER  THE  DAEK  MOUNTAINS.  241 

of  their  ignorance  and  hardness  of  heart :  who  without  right 
feelings  give  themselves  up  to  lives  of  wickedness  and  greed. 
You  did  not  so  learn  the  Christ,  if  so  be  that  you  heard  and  were 
taught  the  truth  that  is  in  Him,  which  is  this  :  put  away  your 
former  manner  of  life,  your  old  life,  which  grew  more  and  more 
corrupt  through  deceit;  and  being  renewed  in  your  minds,  put 
on  the  new  life,  created  in  righteousness,  holiness,  and  truth,  after 
God." 

After  strengthening  them  much,  Paul  and  Silas,  accompanied 
by  friends,  rode  away  upon  their  one  day's  ride  towards  Lystra, 
skirting  the  foot  of  the  hills,  and  crossing  the  level  green  plains 
and  wide  marshes  stretching  away  towards  the  misty  blue  hills. 
And  on  their  way  they  would  see  dazzling  shifting  pictures  in 
the  hot  haze,  now  of  a  fir-clad  mountain  with  cap  of  snow,  now 
of  a  green-fringed  lake,  now  of  a  leafy  wood  and  tall  trees ;  but 
the  constant  changing  of  these  ethereal  scenes  would  tell  them 
that  they  were  only  mirages  caused  by  the  quivering  heat.  And 
there  were  the  wild  shepherds  who  moved  about  over  the  plains, 
feeding  their  huge  herds  and  flocks,  with  curious  beehive  huts, 
covered  with  black  felt,  brown  haircloth,  and  thatch  of  yellow 
straw.  But  these  were  only  for  sleeping  in,  for  they  lived  in  the 
open  air,  the  women  lighting  a  fire  before  the  door,  where  they 
baked  thin  cakes,  boiled  broth,  and  roasted  mutton,  in  the  sun- 
shine. There,  too,  was  the  dining-table  on  the  ground,  where 
the  men  and  boys  sat  cross-legged,  and  dipped  their  supple  scones 
into  the  broth  and  sour  milk,  while  the  women  waited  on  them 
until  they  were  quite  done.  And  if  Paul  and  Silas  were  unable  to 
reach  the  house  for  strangers  for  the  night,  they  would  ride  into 
one  of  these  camps,  where  the  shepherds  were  ever  ready  to  let 
them  cook  their  food  at  the  fire,  or  creep  into  one  of  their  small 
huts  to  sleep,  for  it  was  a  rule  among  them  always  to  shelter 
strangers  on  a  journey. 

When  they  reached  Lystra,  they  sought  out  their  friends,  and 
read  the  letter  to  them  also,  and  inquired  of  their  state,  and 
exhorted  them  in  the  same  way  as  they  did  at  Derbe.  And  they 
were  greatly  encouraged  when  they  heard  of  other  places  where 
there  were  Christians  who  had  turned  away  from  idols  to  the 
living  God,  through  faith  in  Jesus  their  Master.  Gathered  to- 
gether in  an  upper  room,  with  doors  and  windows  closed,  the 
silent  Christians  would  listen  to  words  like  these  from  the  great 
teacher .: — 

"  Put  away  falsehood  and  speak  the  truth  each  one  with  his 
neighbour  :  for  we  are  all  joined  together.  Do  not  sin  in  anger  : 
let  not  the  sun  go  down  upon  your  anger,  and  do  not  give  way  to 

(1,040)  16 


242  THE    YOUTHFUL   TIMOTHY. 

evil.  Let  him  who  stole  steal  no  more,  but  labour,  working  at 
good  work  with  his  hands,  that  he  may  have  something  to  give  to 
others  who  are  in  want.  Let  no  ill-talk  come  out  of  your  mouth, 
but  only  what  will  do  good  to  them  that  hear ;  and  so  you  will 
not  grieve  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  whose  followers  you  are.  Put 
all  bitterness  away  from  you,  anger,  clamour,  scolding,  and  ill- 
will,  and  be  kind  and  tender-hearted  one  to  another.  As  God 
through  Jesus  forgave  you,  so  do  you  forgive  one  another." 

Paul  rejoiced  to  meet  again  the  young  man  Timothy,  and  hear 
him  praised  for  the  work  he  had  been  doing  since  his  visit ;  and 
he  took  such  a  liking  to  him  that  he  asked  him  to  come  away 
with  them  and  be  their  travelling  companion.  Young  as  he  was, 
Timothy  agreed  to  go ;  and  we  shall  see  that  he  proved  to  be  of 
great  use  to  Paul,  who  often  called  him  his  son. 


The  Youthful  Timothy. 

LYSTRA:    AGED    40-50. 

THERE  must  have  been  something  singularly  pleasing  about 
the  youth  Timothy  for  Paul  to  take  such  a  strong  liking 
to  him  that,  with  his  father  dead,  he  should  take  him  away  from 
his  mother.  We  can  picture  him  slim  and  graceful,  with  light 
hair  and  brown  eyes,  his  father's  Greek  features,  and  his  mother's 
ruddy  cheeks.  Seeing  his  earnestness,  modesty,  and  cleverness, 
Paul  loved  him,  and  he  was  to  be  like  a  son  to  the  travelling  Jew 
with  brown  cloak  and  staff,  who  had  neither  home,  wife,  nor  child. 
And  if  Paul  impressed  Timothy  with  his  ceaseless  energy  and 
devotion  to  the  higher  life,  he  in  turn  helped  at  times  to  move  the 
will  and  soften  the  judgments  of  the  lonely  man,  now  past  middle 
age,  who  was  apt  to  be  impatient  of  the  follies  of  others,  and  ifirm 
even  to  sternness. 

This  youth  of  Asia  grew  up  to  manhood  at  Paul's  side,  writing 
letters  for  him,  and  taking  long  journeys  for  him ;  so  that  he  was 
able  to  render  many  services  to  the  man  with  heart  on  fire  who 
first  persuaded  him  to  leave  his  mother's  home.  Years  afterwards 
the  aged  teacher  wrote  him  a  letter  full  of  tenderness  and  wisdom, 
which  shows  us  how  he  loved  the  youth  from  the  first.  In  it  he 
calls  him  his  true  child,  and  warns  him  not  to  listen  to  foolish 
stories  about  idols,  such  as  that  Venus  rose  out  of  a  green  wave 
near  Cyprus,  or  that  Jupiter  dropped  from  a  golden  cloud  near 
Ephesus,  but  that  he  was  to  be  loving,  and  keep  a  pure  heart 


THE    YOUTHFUL   TIMOTHY.  243 

and  a  good  conscience,  and  that  he  was  not  too  young  to  be  an 
example  to  others  of  the  faith,  love,  and  purity  of  a  good  life. 

We  can  gather  from  that  letter  the  kind  of  conversation  which 
Paul  would  have  with  his  young  friend,  warning  him  against  the 
foolish  myths  with  which  the  idols  of  Greece  and  Rome  were  sur- 
rounded, and  adding  words  of  sweet  counsel  and  strong  and  stead- 
fast encouragement. 

Timothy  was  to  go,  not  as  a  servant,  but  as  a  helper,  who  would 
accompany  him  into  all  the  places  into  which  he  went,  and  speak 
also,  if  he  had  anything  to  say.  It  was  still  Paul's  custom  in  a 
new  town  to  go  first  to  the  synagogue  and  speak  there  ;  but  no 
one  who  was  not  circumcised  dared  to  go  thus  amongst  Jews,  or, 
if  it  were  discovered,  it  might  cost  them  their  lives,  just  as  a 
Christian  dares  not  go  to-day  into  a  Mohammedan  mosque.  The 
synagogue  Jews  would  not  sit  at  the  same  table  with  such  a  one ; 
and  if  he  also  were  a  Jew,  it  was  all  the  worse.  Now  Timothy 
had  been  a  Christian  for  some  time,  and  circumcision  had  nothing 
to  do  with  his  Christianity,  but  it  had  much  to  do  with  the 
social  customs  of  the  Jews,  and  going  in  and  out  amongst  them. 
And  so  they  thought  it  right,  before  starting  on  the  journey,  that 
Timothy  should  be  circumcised,  as  he  would  then  be  in  no  danger 
from  his  own  countrymen ;  and  it  was  accordingly  done  by  Paul 
himself. 

The  men  of  Lystra  were  greatly  pleased  that  Paul  should  have 
chosen  Timothy,  and,  like  the  men  of  Antioch,  they  held  a  special 
meeting,  at  which  he  was  solemnly  set  apart  to  be  a  preacher.  And 
his  mother  saw  him  standing  in  his  white  tunic,  red-cheeked  and 
excited,  before  the  older  men  of  the  meeting,  where,  in  answer  to 
their  questions,  he  confessed  his  faith  in  Jesus,  and  his  wish  to  be 
a  teacher.  One  after  another  they  blessed  him,  laying  their  hands 
upon  his  head ;  and  last  of  all,  Paul,  the  dark-faced  Jew  with  the 
glowing  eyes,  prayed  for  him,  and  with  hands  upon  his  brown  hair 
blessed  him  also.  And  the  advice  which  he  gave  we  find  from 
his  letters  to  him. 

"  Timothy,  my  true  child  in  the  faith  of  Jesus.  Do  not  listen 
to  made-up  stories  and  endless  histories,  which  only  cause  disputes, 
instead  of  strengthening  your  faith.  Let  your  aim  be  love,  a  pure 
heart,  a  good  conscience,  and  unpretending  faith,  from  which  some 
have  turned  away  into  useless  talk.  They  would  like  to  be 
teachers  of  the  Jewish  law,  although  they  do  not  understand  what 
they  are  talking  about.  We  know  that  the  Jewish  law  is  good, 
if  rightly  used ;  for  it  is  not  made  to  check  good  people,  but  bad 
people,  murderers,  liars,  and  such  like,  who  wish  to  do  things  con- 
trary to  the  teaching  of  the  gospel  of  God  which  was  given  to  me. 


244  THE    YOUTHFUL   TIMOTHY. 

"This  charge  I  give  you,  my  child  Timothy,  according  to 
what  has  been  told  over  you.  Fight  a  good  fight;  hold  to  the 
faith ;  keep  a  good  conscience,  which  some  have  lost.  Put  Chris- 
tians in  mind  of  these  things,  and  you  will  be  a  good  minister  of 
Jesus,  kept  strong  with  the  words  of  faith  and  good  teaching  which 
you  have  followed  until  now.  But  refuse  to  listen  to  bad  stories 
and  old  wives'  tales.  Be  active  in  goodness.  Exercise  for  the 
body  is  good,  but  activity  in  goodness  is  better,  both  for  this  life 
and  for  that  which  is  to  come.  It  is  a  faithful  and  true  saying, 
that  we  should  work  and  strive  to  the  end,  because  our  hope  is  in 
the  living  God,  who  is  the  Saviour  of  all  men,  especially  of  them 
that  believe. 

"  Teach  and  command  these  things.  Let  no  one  despise  your 
youth ;  but  in  words  and  behaviour,  in  love,  faith,  and  purity,  be 
an  example.  Attend  to  reading,  speaking,  thinking.  Do  not 
neglect  the  good  gift  which  is  in  you.  Be  diligent  in  these  things. 
Give  yourself  wholly  to  them,  that  your  progress  may  be  seen  by 
all.  Be  careful  of  yourself  and  of  your  teaching,  and  continue  in 
these  things,  for  in  so  doing  you  will  save  both  yourself  and  them 
that  hear  you. 

"  Timothy,  thou  man  of  God,  turn  away  from  the  love  of  money, 
and  seek  righteousness,  godliness,  faith,  love,  patience,  meekness. 
Fight  the  good  fight,  the  fight  of  faith,  laying  hold  upon  the 
future  life,  to  which  you  have  been  called.  I  charge  you,  Timothy, 
before  God,  who  preserves  all  men,  and  Jesus  the  Christ,  who 
before  Pilate  made  the  good  confession  :  keep  this  command,  with- 
out spot  or  fault,  until  Jesus  shall  come  again  in  God's  own  time, 
who  is  the  blessed  and  only  Pt,uler,  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of 
lords,  who  only  can  give  life  for  evermore,  dwelling  amid  dazzling 
light ;  whom  no  one  hath  seen  or  can  see ;  to  whom  be  honour 
unending. 

"  Tell  them  that  are  rich,  not  to  be  high-minded,  and  not  to  set 
their  hopes  upon  money,  but  on  God,  who  gives  us  all  things  to 
enjoy.  Bid  them  be  rich  in  good  deeds,  doing  good,  ready  to  give, 
willing  to  be  kind,  heaping  up  for  themselves  a  good  foundation 
against  the  time  to  come,  and  laying  hold  upon  that  better  life 
which  is  life  indeed.  Guard,  O  Timothy,  the  good  gift  which  has 
been  given  to  you ;  turn  away  from  all  base  talk,  and  the  opposi- 
tion of  learning  which  is  falsely  called  knowledge,  by  following 
which  some  men  have  missed  the  true  way.  And  now,  to  the 
King  of  the  ages,  everlasting,  unseen,  the  only  God,  be  honour 
and  glory  for  evermore.      May  the  favour  of  God  be  with  you." 

Many  in  that  meeting  of  strange-looking  Christians  felt  their 
hearts  glowing  as  they  listened  to  Paul's  prayer  and  words  of 


THE    SULTAN    MOUNTAINS.  245 

counsel  to  this  young  hero  among  Christians,  who  was  to  follow 
him  over  land  and  sea  for  the  sake  of  the  dear  Master  whose  cross 
shone  before  their  eyes.  Friends  were  there  who  had  known  the 
youth  from  childhood,  and  when  they  spoke  in  words  of  praise 
and  encouragement  of  what  might  yet  be,  his  heart  was  fired  with 
enthusiasm,  and  he  felt  inspired  by  the  Holy  Spirit  of  Jesus  to 
trust  in  God  and  go  forward.  And  of  all  in  that  crowd  who 
saw  his  face  lit  up  with  divine  enthusiasm,  none  felt  prouder  of 
him,  no  one  felt  a  deeper  joy,  than  the  mother  who  trained  him, 
and  who  was  about  to  lose  him  for  years  to  come. 


The  Sultan   Mountains. 

LYSTRA:     AGED    40-50. 

AFTER  spending  some  time  at  Lystra,  taking  the  youthful 
-^Jk-  Timothy  with  them,  the  travellers  left  the  city  of  the  black 
mountain  to  go  on  their  way  for  twenty-five  miles  across  the  salt 
plains,  so  much  frequented  by  shepherds  and  cattle-traders,  with 
their  huge  droves  of  animals,  towards  beautiful  Iconium,  amid  its 
orchards  and  gardens.  There,  too,  they  gathered  the  Christians 
together,  and  read  James's  letter,  and  encouraged  them  to  hold 
fast  to  the  faith  and  spread  the  word.  And  as  they  sat  in  a 
friend's  house  listening  to  Paul's  explanations,  they  would  hear 
words  like  these  : — 

"  Finally,  brothers,  rejoice  in  the  Lord.  Beware  of  the  dogs, 
the  workers  of  evil,  the  teachers  of  the  party  of  circumcision. 
We  are  the  true  men  of  circumcision,  who  worship  by  the  help 
of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  glory  in  Jesus  the  Christ,  and  have 
no  confidence  in  ourselves.  If  any  man  thinks  he  might  have 
confidence  in  himself,  I  might  have  more  confidence.  For  I 
am  a  Jew.  I  was  circumcised  when  a  child,  according  to  the 
Jewish  custom ;  and  I  am  descended  from  the  old  Jewish  stock 
belonging  to  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  a  Jew  of  Jews;  concerning  the 
Jewish  law,  a  Pharisee;  as  to  zeal,  a  persecutor  of  Christians; 
and  as  to  the  righteousness  which  is  in  obeying  the  law,  I  was 
found  blameless.  But  nevertheless,  what  things  seemed  gain  to 
me  then,  I  count  as  loss  for  the  sake  of  Jesus  the  Christ. 
Indeed,  I  count  all  such  things  as  loss  compared  with  the 
excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Jesus ;  for  whom  I  have  suffered 
the  loss  of  all  things,  and  count  them  as  dust,  that  I  may  gain 
Him,  and  be  found  in  Him." 


246  THE    SULTAN    MOUNTAINS. 

This  time  they  did  not  rouse  the  synagogue  hive,  and  were  not 
touched  by  the  magistrates,  and  after  a  quiet  visit  they  left  the 
city  to  ride  along  lanes  where  ruddy  apples,  dark-green  olives,  and 
purple  grapes  were  already  ripening  in  the  sun,  while  the  stubble 
fields  Avere  cleared,  and  the  harvest  stored  away. 

Riding  for  two  days  to  the  westward,  tliey  came  to  the  paved 
Roman  road  up  which  Paul  and  Barnabas  had  ridden  for  the  first 
time  three  summers  ago.  Two  days  more  and  they  were  again  in 
Pisidian  Antioch,  on  the  slope  of  the  Sultan  Mountains;  and  there 
they  read  the  letter  to  the  Christians,  and  held  meetings  urging 
them  to  hold  fast  to  the  faith,  and  keep  away  from  idols  and  the 
degrading  customs  with  which  they  were  surrounded.  And  be- 
fore he  left  that  mountain  city,  they  heard  him  often  speak  like 
this  : — 

"  So  then,  brothers,  we  are  no  more  slaves  of  our  passions  to 
live  the  lower  life  :  for  if  you  live  it,  you  must  die  ;  but  if  by  the 
Spirit  of  Jesus  you  have  put  an  end  to  that  lower  life,  you  shall 
live  indeed.  For  as  many  as  are  guided  by  the  Spirit  of  God 
are  the  sons  of  God.  You  have  not  received  the  spirit  of  slaves, 
but  of  children,  by  which  we  cry  *  Father '  to  God.  And  He 
bears  witness  with  us  that  we  are  His  children  :  and  if  children, 
then  heirs  of  God,  and  joint-heirs  with  Jesus ;  and  we  shall  be 
glorified  with  Him,  if  we  suffer  with  Him. 

"  For  I  do  not  consider  that  our  present  sufferings  are  to  be 
compared  with  the  glory  which  we  shall  have  hereafter;  and 
creation  earnestly  waits  for  the  sons  of  God.  And  we  who  are  the 
first-fruits  of  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  do  groan  and  wait  for  our  being 
made  sons  by  the  redeeming  of  our  bodies.  By  hope  are  we  saved : 
but  hope  seen  is  not  hope,  for  it  vanishes  away  with  sight.  But  if 
we  hope  for  what  we  do  not  see,  then  have  we  patience  to  wait 
for  it.  In  the  same  way  the  Spirit  of  God  helps  our  weakness ; 
for  we  do  not  know  how  to  pray  as  we  ought,  but  the  Spirit  pleads 
for  us.  And  we  know  that  all  things  work  together  for  good  to 
them  that  love  God,  and  are  called  by  His  voice." 

Where  would  they  go  next  ?  Would  Paul  venture  down  to  the 
lovely  but  unhealthy  plain  of  Pamphilia  by  the  sea,  with  Perga  on 
the  river  banks  and  Attalia  on  the  cliff,  and  on  to  Cyprus  1  It 
was  now  midsummer,  and  the  heat  of  the  plain  would  be  terrible 
to  men  who  had  been  travelling  for  months  in  the  hills.  Naturally 
they  should  have  gone  down,  but  Paul  changed  his  plan,  and 
turned  his  face  towards  the  cool,  high  table-lands  of  the  north. 

They  had  now  travelled  four  hundred  miles,  gradually  climb- 
ing up  from  the  blue  Mediterranean  Sea  beyond  Tarsus  to  the 
foot  of  one  of  the  highest  mountains  in  Asia  Minor,  and  they  were 


ACROSS    ASIA.  247 

about  to  go  over  the  table-lands  of  the  mountains,  where  the 
country  is  comparatively  level,  with  flat-topped  hills  and  shallow 
valleys,  across  Asia  to  the  Black  Sea. 

Bidding  farewell  to  the  Christians  of  the  city  and  the  country 
round  about,  Paul  told  them  that  they  were  going  into  Asia  for 
the  first  time,  a  Roman  province  about  the  size  of  England. 
Riding  along  the  road  at  the  foot  of  the  Sultan  Mountains,  they 
were  soon  out  of  the  province  of  Galatia  and  into  the  province  of 
Asia,  where  he  intended  to  preach  the  gospel. 

There  were  trading  roads  through  the  country,  with  many  towns 
and  villages ;  but  whether  it  was  through  a  dream  or  a  vision,  before 
they  had  travelled  far,  Paul  felt  that  they  were  forbidden  by  God 
to  preach  there,  and  he  told  his  two  companions.  Men  who  live 
like  him,  so  close  to  God  in  prayer  and  thought,  are  moved  by 
inspirations  which  they  cannot  always  explain  to  others.  We 
read  of  many  such.  We  have  no  further  explanation  why  Paul 
believed  he  was  not  to  preach  in  the  high  parts  of  Asia ;  yet  he 
did  not  turn  back  and  go  down  to  the  sea,  but  kept  steadily  on 
what  proved  to  be  a  very  long  journey. 


Across  Asia. 

PISIDIAN   ANTIOCH  :     AGED    40-50. 

THEIR  road  was  now  through  a  country  of  bare  hills  and 
stony  glens,  with  flinty  rocks  in  beautiful  colours  of  pink 
and  pure  white,  pale  yellow,  and  grey,  and  light  green,  that 
sparkled  in  the  sun,  and  few  trees.  They  were  crossing  the  table- 
lands of  Central  Asia  to  the  Roman  province  of  Bithynia,  one 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  distant,  that  sloped  down  in  rich  woods 
to  the  shores  of  the  Black  Sea.  They  would  go  with  a  band 
of  people  for  safety,  riding  steadily  on  under  the  hot  autumn 
sun,  resting  in  the  heat  of  the  day,  and  sleeping  at  night 
in  the  shelter  of  the  house  for  strangers  at  the  village,  or  in 
their  own  little  tent,  if  it  was  thought  safe  enough  to  camp  out 
under  the  stars.  There  were  many  villages  in  the  hollows,  and 
walled  towns  along  the  line  of  the  main  road;  but  it  was  a 
country  where  lions,  leopards,  and  wolves  were  common,  and 
travellers  were  never  safe  unless  there  were  enough  of  them  to 
shout  and  make  sufiicient  noise  to  scare  them  away. 

After  riding  for  about  a  week  along  the  hot,  stony  path — now 
winding  round  a  low  hill  of  grey  rock  without  a  tree,  now  crossing 


248  ACROSS   ASIA. 

the  dry  bed  of  a  mountain  stream,  now  toiling  up  a  barren  glen, 
with  brown  grass  in  tufts  and  patches  among  the  hot  stones — they 
reached  the  other  side  of  the  table-land,  rent  with  great  ravines, 
through  which  rivers  flowed  down  to  the  far-distant  Black  Sea, 
hid  as  yet  by  hills.  They  looked  upon  richly-wooded  glens  and 
gorges  filled  with  the  crimson  and  red,  the  brown,  russet,  and  gold 
of  autumn  foliage,  with  a  line  of  blue  hills  beyond,  over  which  was 
the  rich  Roman  province  of  Bithynia,  about  the  size  of  Denmark. 
But  over  these  blue  hills  their  feet  would  not  go ;  for,  whether  by 
a  dream  or  a  vision,  Paul  felt  that  God  did  not  wish  him  to  enter 
Bithynia. 

And  so  he  again  changed  his  plan,  following  the  road  west- 
ward, towards  the  district  of  Mysia,  bordering  upon  the  Sea  of 
Marmora  and  the  Dardanelles.  They  were  still  in  Asia,  so  that 
Paul  did  not  feel  free  to  preach,  and  day  after  day  they  gradually 
rode  down  from  the  high  table-lands,  by  rich  vales  through  which 
the  river  Rhyndacus  winds  among  spreading  plane  trees,  larch, 
golden  oak,  wiry  fir,  and  evergreen  laurels.  They  passed  by  the 
side  of  lakes  larger  than  Loch  Lomond,  and  many  villages  of  flat- 
roofed  houses,  with  large  olive  gardens,  where  the  dark  fruit  was 
being  shaken  from  the  twisted  branches,  and  black  grapes  hung 
ripe  among  leaves  of  purple  and  gold. 

We  may  be  sure  that  they  did  not  ride  in  silence  over  these 
breezy  table-lands,  and  through  these  wooded  glens,  or  sit  without 
speaking  in  the  mid-day  shade,  over  their  bread  and  goats'  milk. 
Timothy  had  much  to  learn,  and  Paul  had  much  to  teach.  Of 
what  did  they  talk  ?     Again  we  turn  to  Paul's  letters  to  him  : — 

"  In  later  times  some  will  fall  away  from  the  faith,  listening 
to  the  teaching  of  wicked  men  and  hypocrites  who  speak  lies; 
whose  consciences  are  burnt  with  a  hot  iron ;  who  forbid  people 
to  marry,  or  to  eat  meats  made  to  be  eaten  with  thanksgiving  by 
all  Christians.  For  every  creature  of  God  is  good,  and  nothing 
to  be  rejected,  if  it  be  received  with  thanksgiving. 

"Put  them  in  mind  of  these  things,  charging  them  before  God 
not  to  dispute  about  words,  which  only  does  harm  to  those  who 
listen.  Be  careful  to  show  yourself  a  workman  approved  of  God, 
who  does  not  need  to  be  ashamed,  rightly  using  the  words  of 
truth.  But  avoid  low  talk  :  for  it  goes  on  into  further  wickedness, 
with  words  that  spread  like  an  evil  disease.  Among  them  are 
men  who  have  gone  astray  from  the  truth,  saying  that  the  resur- 
rection is  already  past ;  destroying  the  faith  of  some. 

"  But  the  foundations  of  God  stand  secure,  having  this  mark, 
that  He  knows  them  that  are  His.  Let  every  one  that  names  the 
name  of  Jesus  depart  from  evil.     But  in  a  palace  there  are  not 


THE   WHITE    PLAINS    OF    TROY.  249 

only  dishes  of  gold  and  silver,  but  of  wood  and  pottery ;  some  for 
special  use,  and  some  for  common  use.  If  a  man  keeps  himself 
pure,  he  shall  be  like  a  dish  of  honour,  cleansed  and  tit  for  the 
master,  and  prepared  for  every  good  use. 

"  Fly  from  youthful  temptations,  and  seek  righteousness,  faith, 
love,  and  peace  with  people  who  call  upon  the  name  of  Jesus  out 
of  a  pure  heart.  Refuse  to  discuss  foolish  and  ignorant  questions, 
knowing  that  they  lead  to  quarrels.  And  the  servant  of  Jesus 
must  not  strive,  but  be  gentle  towards  all,  ready  to  teach,  patient 
and  gentle,  correcting  them  that  oppose  you.  For  perhaps  God 
may  give  them  a  changed  mind  and  the  knowledge  of  His  truth, 
and  so  by  your  help  they  may  return  from  the  snare  of  evil. 

"From  a  child  you  have  known  the  Scriptures,  which  are 
able  to  make  you  wise  unto  salvation  through  faith  in  Jesus  the 
Christ.  Every  such  writing  which  has  the  Spirit  of  God  in  it 
is  good  for  teaching,  reproving,  correcting,  and  instructing  in 
righteousness,  that  the  man  of  God  may  be  complete  and  ready 
for  every  good  work. 

"  Before  God,  and  Jesus  the  Christ,  who  shall  judge  the  living 
and  the  dead,  and  by  His  coming  and  His  kingdom,  I  charge  you : 
preach  the  gospel ;  be  active  in  season  and  out  of  season ;  reprove, 
rebuke,  exhort,  and  teach  with  all  patience.  For  the  time  will 
come  when  men  will  not  listen  to  sound  teaching;  but,  with 
itching  ears,  they  will  seek  teachers  after  their  own  mind,  turning 
aside  from  the  truth  to  hearken  to  false  stories.  Be  sober  in  all 
things,  suffer  hardships,  do  the  work  of  a  preacher  of  the  gospel, 
and  fulfil  your  ministry.     And  the  Lord  will  be  with  your  spirit." 

With  conversation  such  as  this,  to  which  Timothy  would 
listen  as  if  to  the  words  of  his  father,  they  rode  on  their  way, 
resting  wherever  they  could  find  a  lodging  for  the  night,  but 
stopping  nowhere,  and  preaching  nowhere;  for  Paul  had  said  it 
was  the  will  of  God  that  they  should  ride  on,  and  later  it  would 
be  made  clear  what  they  were  to  do  in  the  country  whither  they 
were  going. 


The  White   Plains  of  Troy. 

ASIA:    AGED    50-60. 

THE  three  travellers  had  yet  a  long  way  to  ride  before  they 
came  to  a  town  at  which  they  would  feel  free  to  stay.  They 
were  still  among  the  highlands  of  Asia  Minor,  a  region  that  to 
this  day  is  very  little  visited  by  strangers.      In  the  blue  distance 


250  THE    WHITE    PLAINS    OF    TROY. 

to  the  north  rose  Mount  Olympus,  belted  with  pearly  clouds  in  the 
sunshine,  to  whose  top  the  country  people  climbed  once  a  year,  at 
the  end  of  the  harvest,  to  dance,  and  drink,  and  make  merry  among 
the  black  rocks.  They  knew  not  why,  but  for  hundreds  of  years 
it  had  been  so ;  and  a  thousand  years  after  they  were  gone,  the 
peasants  at  the  foot  of  that  cloud-girdled  mountain  would  still 
climb  to  the  top  and  do  the  same. 

After  riding  for  two  hundred  miles  from  Pisidian  Antioch,  the 
valleys  widened  out  into  beautiful  country,  which  the  hand  of  the 
farmer,  with  wooden  plough  and  hoe,  had  made  fruitful  grain 
fields.  They  were  on  the  borders  of  Mysia,  and  often  to  the  north- 
west they  saw  the  blue  waters  of  the  Sea  of  Marmora,  where  Con- 
stantinople is  now.  There  were  many  rivers  to  cross  that  flowed 
with  strange  windings  from  the  highlands  to  the  sea ;  but  as  it  was 
a  populous  part  of  the  country,  and  well  known  to  traders  and 
merchants,  there  were  good  paved  roads,  and  strong  bridges  where 
the  rivers  were  too  deep  to  ride  through.  And  as  they  rode  by 
the  way,  or  sat  by  the  red  embers  of  the  wood  tire,  with  the  stars 
over  them,  Paul  talked  with  his  youthful  companion. 

"  Do  not  rebuke  an  old  man,  but  speak  to  him  as  a  father,  and 
the  young  men  as  brothers,  the  elderly  women  as  mothers,  and  the 
young  women  as  sisters.  Give  honour  to  widows  ;  and  if  they  have 
children,  bid  them  be  dutiful,  for  that  is  well-pleasing  to  God. 
And  if  a  man  does  not  provide  for  his  own  family,  he  has  denied 
the  faith,  and  is  worse  than  an  unbeliever. 

"Elders  who  rule  well  deserve  double  honour,  especially  if 
they  also  teach.  It  is  written.  Thou  shalt  not  muzzle  the  ox 
that  treadeth  out  the  corn.  And  Jesus  said.  The  labourer  is 
worthy  of  his  hire.  Do  not  listen  to  blame  against  elders, 
unless  from  two  or  three  witnesses.  If  they  do  ill,  reprove  them 
before  the  congregation,  that  the  others  may  be  in  fear.  You 
must  observe  these  things  without  preference  and  without  favour. 
Do  not  hastily  make  any  man  an  office-bearer ;  and  keep  yourself 
pure.  Some  men's  sins  are  plain  and  seen,  others  are  hidden,  and 
not  known  till  after.  So  also  there  are  good  deeds  that  are  seen, 
and  good  deeds  unseen ;  but  they  will  not  always  be  hid. 

"  Bid  Christian  slaves  count  their  unbelieving  masters  worthy  of 
all  honour,  that  the  name  of  God  and  the  gospel  be  not  miscalled 
by  them.  And  slaves  who  have  believing  masters  must  not  despise 
them,  because  they  are  brother  Christians,  but  serve  them  faithfully, 
because  they  are  believers  and  beloved.  These  things  teach  and 
advise." 

But  not  even  in  Mysia  were  they  to  teach  the  gospel,  for 
Paul  wished  to  press  on  westward  to  the  great  city  of  Troy,  at 


THE    WHITE    PLAINS    OF    TROY.  251 

the  edge  of  the  ^gean  Sea.  Soon  they  approached  the  plains  of 
Troy,  famous  as  the  scene  of  the  astonishing  battles  described  in 
Homer's  poems,  of  which  Paul  would  know,  for  they  had  been 
written  five  hundred  years  before.  On  one  hand  a  range  of  dark 
granite  hills  rose  in  slope  above  slope  towards  the  glittering  crest 
of  Mount  Ida,  with  clefts  flushed  with  the  red  and  gold  of  heavy 
foliage,  and  sparkling  with  streams  ;  on  the  other  hand  were 
plains  stretching  away  for  twenty  miles  in  pastoral  hill  and  hollow, 
towards  the  beautiful  shore  of  the  Dardanelles.  They  were  now 
riding  over  the  battle-ground  of  the  poems  which  we  still  read 
in  our  school  books,  where  the  ancient  city  of  Illium  stood,  said 
to  have  been  besieged  for  ten  years  by  the  Greeks,  and  all  for 
beautiful  Helen.  But  the  poet  also  says  that  beings  came  down 
from  the  skies  and  mingled  in  the  fights,  and  could  not  be  wounded ; 
and  we  begin  to  think  that  perhaps  he  did  not  intend  his  poems  to 
be  regarded  as  history.  Whatever  did  happen,  it  was  a  thousand 
years  before  Paul  and  Silas  rode  across  the  plains,  and  Homer's 
city  was  no  longer  there,  but  only  a  rising  ground  beside  the  river 
Scamander,  with  ruins  heaped  upon  ruins,  not  far  from  the  blue 
Hellespont. 

Under  their  feet  the  ground  was  white  with  shells  in  the  rock 
and  the  rich  soil,  and  looking  down  the  beautiful  valley  stretching 
before  them,  they  saw  far  off,  and  seemingly  upon  the  edge  of  the 
sea,  the  walls  of  Troy,  with  sunshine  upon  its  stately  buildings 
of  grey  granite  quarried  from  Mount  Ida,  lighting  up  white  towers 
and  pinnacles  of  brass,  and  the  blue  ^gean  and  the  purple  islands 
beyond. 

During  the  long  ride  of  over  three  hundred  miles,  over  the 
highest  and  wildest  parts  of  Central  Asia,  Paul  had  pressed  on, 
preaching  and  resting  nowhere,  firmly  believing  that  he  was 
guided  forward  by  the  hand  of  God  for  some  great  purpose.  In 
that  mood  he  rode  past  Mysia  to  Troy,  and  he  could  ride  no 
farther.  And  there  he  met  one  who  would  do  much  for  him 
and  for  the  world — Luke,  the  beloved  physician,  who  would  write 
the  story  of  his  life  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles. 

Once  more  he  was  in  a  large  seaport,  with  soldiers  and  people 
of  many  nations  in  the  streets  ;  for  it  was  a  Roman  colony,  with 
outer  and  inner  harbours  divided  by  a  granite  wall,  having  a 
narrow  opening  for  ships  to  pass  through,  and  granite  posts  on 
the  quays  to  fasten  ropes  to.  Some  of  these  pillars  are  there  still, 
but  the  mouth  of  the  harbour  is  filled  with  sand,  and  ships 
cannot  now  go  in.  But  the  city  was  then  a  mile  across,  with 
square  towers  along  the  walls  for  soldiers  to  defend  them,  and  a 
chariot  racecourse,  a  theatre  for  public  games,  sculptured  temples, 


252       EOSE  LEAVES  AND  A  CONE  OF  GOLD. 

and  hot  baths,  to  which  water  was  brought,  by  a  long  stone  water- 
way, from  the  famous  springs  and  fountains  of  Mount  Ida. 

The  view  from  the  seats  of  the  theatre  behind  the  city  was 
very  beautiful,  with  purple  islands  on  the  blue  water,  and,  afar 
off,  the  mist-clad  mountains.  When  the  sun  rose  over  Mount 
Ida,  Paul  saw  the  rosy  island  of  Tenedos,  with  little  islands  round 
it,  and,  as  the  dawn  spread,  the  isle  of  Imbros  and  the  peak  of 
the  isle  of  Samothrace  beyond.  And  at  evening,  when  the  sea 
was  flooded  with  crimson,  over  Tenedos  he  saw  the  deep-red  isle 
of  Lemnos,  with  a  distant  cone  of  gold  shining  in  the  sun's  eye, 
the  peak  of  Mount  Athos,  on  the  Macedonian  coast,  eighty  miles 
across.  These  visions  of  crimson  islands,  like  stepping-stones  to 
the  golden  mountains  of  another  land,  drew  his  thoughts  out  and 
over  the  waves  to  the  world  beyond.  From  yonder  blue  coast- 
line came  the  conquering  hosts,  with  eagles  on  their  prows,  that 
spread  law  and  paved  roads  over  Asia,  the  place  of  his  birth. 
Might  he  not  cross  to  them  with  the  glad  tidings  of  the  gospel 
of  peace  ?  Looking  through  these  cloud-like  isles,  in  the  pathway 
of  the  sun,  he  saw  visions  and  dreamt  dreams,  for  thitherward 
lay  Rome,  the  capital  of  the  world. 

How  he  met  Luke,  the  beloved  physician,  we  do  not  know.  He 
may  have  seen  him  about  his  health,  or  amongst  the  few  Christians 
of  the  city,  for  Luke  was  already  a  Christian.  On  the  day  that 
Paul  drew  him  to  his  side,  lie  won  his  best  friend.  It  is  thought 
that  he  came  from  Philippi,  in  Macedonia,  the  land  towards  which 
Paul's  eyes  were  daily  turned ;  and  as  they  looked  together  out 
upon  the  sea  from  the  harbour,  and  talked  of  the  countries 
beyond  the  opal  isles,  Luke  told  him  many  things. 

Paul  does  not  seem  to  have  preached  in  Troy  at  this  time. 
But  while  he  was  waiting  for  guidance,  he  dreamt  that  a  man 
from  Macedonia  stood  beside  his  bed,  with  hands  outstretched, 
begging  him  to  come  over  the  sea  and  help  them.  In  the  morn- 
ing he  told  Silas,  and  Timothy,  and  Luke,  and  they  all  believed 
the  dream  meant  that  God  wished  him  to  go  over  and  teach 
in  Macedonia.  Luke  would  be  their  guide ;  and  they  decided  to 
go  to  Philippi,  near  the  coast,  the  chief  city  of  one  of  the  divisions 
of  Macedonia. 


Rose   Leaves  and   a  Cone  of  Gold. 

TROY  :    AGED  50-60. 

ALL  that  Paul  and  his  three  friends  required  to  take  them  over 
■tx     the  hundred  miles  of  sea  towards  Philippi  was  a  favouring 


ROSE  LEAVES  AND  A  CONE  OF  GOLD.       253 

south  wind,  for  in  the  two  busy  harbours  of  Troy  there  were  plenty 
coasting-boats.  With  dipping  oars  they  passed  slowly  out  of 
the  harbour  and  clear  of  the  land,  and  then  the  peaked  sail  was 
shaken  out  to  the  full,  and  the  boat  began  to  bend  and  hiss  at 
great  speed  through  the  clear  blue  water,  for  they  were  flying 
before  the  wind.  Travellers  say  that  in  the  ^gean  Sea  the 
water  is  of  the  loveliest,  deepest  blue  of  any  part  of  the  world, 
and  that  at  sunrise  and  sunset  the  colours  of  the  islands  are  more 
like  the  hues  of  gems  than  of  solid  earth  and  rock. 

Starting  in  the  early  morning,  they  passed  between  the  little 
island  of  Tenedos  and  the  rocky  mainland,  and  soon  they  were 
fio-hting  with  the  treacherous  current  that  sweeps  out  of  the 
narrow  opening  of  the  Dardanelles — that  little  strip  of  blue 
that  divides  Asia  from  Europe.  The  hilly  island  of  Imbros  lay 
before  them,  and  over  it  rose  the  blue  peak  of  Mount  Saoce,  on 
the  more  distant  island  of  Samothrace,  serving  as  a  beacon  to 
guide  sailors,  who  knew  the  peak  from  a  great  distance.  As 
they  sailed  past  Imbros,  Samothrace  rose  out  of  the  water  like  a 
purple  mountain,  and  the  boat  was  turned  straight  for  it.  All 
day  the  sea  glanced  and  rippled,  and  at  evening,  when  the  sun 
beamed  low  over  Mount  Athos,  shining  like  a  pillar  of  gold  to 
the  west,  the  water  danced  round  them  like  a  tract  of  tumbled 
rose  leaves.  And  when  the  white  moon  sparkled  on  the  waves, 
they  were  anchored  for  the  night  in  the  shelter  of  Samothrace. 

Under  the  shadow  of  the  cloud-capped  island,  where  the 
images  of  the  Cabiri  were  worshipped  in  deep  mystery  by  the 
devotees  of  the  purple  ribbon,  they  slept,  wrapped  in  their  travel- 
ling cloaks,  until  the  morning.  "When  the  pale  shimmerings  of 
dawn  appeared  upon  the  sea,  the  anchor  was  taken  up,  the  sail 
shaken  out,  and  the  boat's  head  set  for  the  island  of  Thasos, 
with  its  gold-veined  rocks  so  much  coveted  by  foreigners;  but 
they  had  forty  miles  of  open  sea  to  traverse  before  they  sailed 
into  the  narrow  channel  between  that  island  and  the  coast  of 
Macedonia.  A  wide  bay  opened,  and  at  the  end  of  it  they  ran 
their  little  boat  up  to  a  jutting-out  piece  of  land  with  stone 
wharfs  on  each  side;  for  they  were  in  Neapolis,  the  port  of 
Philippi,  with  a  temple  to  Diana  on  the  highest  part,  and  a  paved 
Roman  road  leading  up  into  the  mountains.  There  Paul  and  his 
companions  paid  off  the  boatman,  and  stepped  out  into  a  new 
country.  Donkeys  were  easily  got  at  that  port,  and,  some  riding, 
some  walking,  they  started  without  delay  for  Philippi,  twelve 
miles  distant. 

The  Pangean  Hills  rose  above  the  wide  bay,  and  the  road  at 
first  went  up  through  a  steep  gorge.     From  the  ridge  of  tlie  pass 


254      ROSE  LEAVES  AND  A  CONE  OF  GOLD. 

they  had  a  view  backwards  of  a  sunny  sea,  islands  floating  in 
heat  haze,  and  the  mountains  of  Ida  behind  Troy.  Going  down 
the  other  side  of  the  pass,  there  opened  out  on  their  left  the 
far-stretching  yellow  plain  of  Philippi,  bounded  by  a  beautiful 
range  of  hills  and  a  marshy  lake  choked  with  reeds  and  canes, 
the  plain  itself  scored  with  glittering  streams  of  water.  In  the 
autumn,  ninety  years  before,  by  the  banks  of  those  ribbons  of 
silver  in  the  grass,  Octavian  and  Antony  fought  a  great  battle 
with  Brutus  and  Cassius,  in  which  they  wrested  the  Roman 
Empire  from  them,  and  drove  them  to  their  death — a  strange,  far- 
distant  place  for  four  Roman  generals  to  settle  the  fate  of  Rome, 
with  Roman  soldiers  hacking  each  other  with  short  swords. 

Over  the  plain  to  the  right,  on  the  hillside,  was  the  white 
city  itself,  called  after  Philip  of  Macedonia,  father  of  Alexander 
the  Great.  After  the  battle,  Octavian  made  it  a  Roman  colony, 
and  peopled  it  with  Antony's  soldiers,  to  keep  them  quiet ;  so 
that  it  was  a  soldiers'  city,  and  the  chief  of  one  of  the  divisions 
into  which  the  Romans  split  up  the  kingdom  of  Macedonia  when 
they  conquered  it.  Streets  and  houses  crowded  up  the  slope 
from  the  plain  to  the  top  of  the  hill,  which  was  crowned  by 
a  huge  dark  castle.  Stone  walls  of  great  thickness  went  all 
round,  to  protect  the  city  from  attack,  for  in  those  days  rich 
people  did  not  consider  themselves  safe  unless  they  slept  within 
a  city's  walls.  The  great  plain  stretching  out  iDelow  towards 
the  south  was  one  of  the  finest  in  the  world,  for  it  was  amongst 
hills,  and  yet  the  numerous  streams  and  marshes  kept  the 
trees  green.  The  deep  glens  were  famous  for  the  beauty  of 
their  roses,  but  they  were  also  famous  for  something  else  which 
conquerors  liked  much  better  —  gold  mines,  that  had  been 
fought  over  as  men  never  fight  for  roses,  however  sweet  and 
lovely. 

Paul  and  his  friends  rode  down  the  paved  road  to  the  side 
of  the  river  Zygactes,  and  along  the  margin  of  the  marshy  lake, 
where  black  buffaloes  bellowed  among  the  long  canes,  and  white 
geese  rose  in  flocks  from  the  patches  of  clear  water.  Keeping 
to  the  foot  of  the  hills  on  the  right  hand,  the  road  brought 
them  to  a  low  archway  in  the  walls,  surmounted  by  a  strong 
square  tower ;  and  they  were  at  the  eastern  gate  of  the  city, 
where  they  would  be  closely  examined  before  being  allowed  to 
pass  inside. 


LYDIA    THE    PURPLE -SELLER.  256 

Lydia  the  PurpIe=Sener. 

PHILIPPI  :    AGED  50-60. 

■piDING  through  the  streets  of  Philippi  in  the  hot  autumn 
-L  V  weather,  they  were  in  a  city  of  great  importance;  for  one  of 
the  great  roads  of  the  Roman  Empire,  the  Egnatian  Road,  passed 
through  it,  paved  all  the  way,  that  soldiers  might  ride  in  their 
rattling  chariots  across  Macedonia  to  Asia.  Above  them  was  the 
old  city,  climbing  up  the  hill  to  the  gloomy  castle  on  the  top, 
with  knobs  of  dark  rock  here  and  there  cut  into  the  shapes  of 
Greek  idols.  There,  too,  on  the  hillside,  were  the  seats  of  the 
open-air  theatre,  and  the  white  pillars  of  the  temple  of  Silvanus. 

But  the  strong  arms  of  the  wall  were  also  thrown  round  the 
new  town,  straggling  down  into  the  plain,  with  its  wide  market- 
place, and  shops  of  the  merchants,  and  the  Forum,  where  Paul 
would  one  day  speak  to  the  people.  They  could  see  all  this  as 
they  stood  on  the  broad  Roman  road — the  track  of  armies— that 
divided  the  high  city  from  the  low,  before  turning  into  a  street 
leading  to  the  lower  town,  where  they  were  to  live. 

^  They  did  not  find  many  Jews,  for  it  was  not  a  trading  but  a 
military  city,  ruled  in  true  Roman  fashion  by  two  magistrates, 
called  prsetors,  who  sat  in  the  open  air,  on  raised  marble  seats, 
and  dealt  out  even-handed  Roman  law,  which  was  not  always 
justice,  with  men  standing  behind  them  with  an  axe  sticking  out 
of  a  bunch  of  birch-rods,  ready  to  thrash  a  back  or  chop  *off  a 
head,  as  the  judge  might  order. 

In  his  own  strong  way,  Paul  felt  that  he  must  not  preach  in 
Asia,  and  he  passed  towns  and  villages  in  silence;  but  now  his  lips 
were  unsealed,  and  he  wished  to  begin  at  the  synagogue.  His 
countrymen  said  there  was  none,  but  that  they  met  for  prayer 
in  a  quiet  spot  by  the  river  Gangas,  in  the  green  vale  of  Drama, 
a  little  out  of  the  west  gate  of  the  city.  When  Sabbath  morning 
came,  he  and  Silas,  Timothy,  and  Luke  went  out  to  seek  the 
place ;  and  instead  of  finding  a  crowd  of  Jews  sitting  upon  the 
grass  with  bowed  heads,  they  found  women  only.  There  they 
had  a  strange  meeting,  among  the  willows  and  the  rose  bushes, 
in  the  quiet  of  that  hollow  between  the  hills.  Paul  spoke 
to  them  about  the  Prophet  of  Nazareth,  who  was  crucified  so 
young,  over  whom  the  women  of  Jerusalem  wept,  as  they  saw 
Him  in  their  narrow  streets  staggering  under  the  weight  of  His 
cross;  He  who  was  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God,  and  who 
died  that  He  might  draw  all  men  unto  Him ;  He  who  blessed  the 


256  IN   A    LEAFY    VALE. 

children  of  the  women  of  the  Persea,  taking  them  in  His  arms,  and 
calling  them  the  little  ones  of  His  kingdom,  and  who  bade  the  hus- 
bands of  these  mothers  treat  their  wives  no  more  as  slaves.  And 
the  women  of  Philippi  listened  as  they  had  never  listened  before, 
while  he  told  them  of  the  chaste  worship  of  the  living  God  and  the 
higher  life  in  Jesus. 

Paul  had  indeed  travelled  far  to  hold  this  small  meeting  of 
women  with  embroidered  tunics  of  red  and  blue.  He  who  in 
Lystra  held  crowds  listening,  until  they  thought  he  was  Mer- 
cury from  the  skies,  sat  talking  quietly  with  Silas  by  his  side — 
who  had  seen  Jesus — and  the  youth  Timothy.  There  were  few 
to  hear,  and  only  one  at  first  believed  Paul's  glorious  message. 
Lydia  was  there,  clad  in  purple,  of  Thyatira,  a  town  in  Asia,  about 
eighty  miles  beyond  Troy,  famous  for  its  dyed  cloths,  which  she 
made  a  business  of  selling  to  the  people  of  Philippi,  and  although 
she  was  not  a  Jewess  she  worshipped  God ;  and  Paul's  words 
entered  her  kindly  heart,  and  found  an  answer. 

The  meeting  dispersed,  and  the  women  went  home,  giving  no 
sign ;  but  after  some  days  Lydia  asked  to  be  baptized,  with  all  her 
children,  as  a  mark  that  they  were  Christians;  and  being  well  off, 
she  urged  Paul  and  his  three  friends  to  stay  in  her  house  as  long 
as  they  were  in  the  city.  And  so  the  first  Christian  that  Paul 
won  in  Europe  was  a  woman.  A  woman's  hand  was  the  first 
held  out  to  that  glorious  gospel  of  Jesus  that  would  raise  woman- 
kind from  slavery  to  freedom,  and  surround  their  children  with 
the  beauty  and  holiness  of  God's  kingdom. 

And  each  Sunday  they  went  out  to  the  Jews'  place  of  prayer 
by  the  river's  bank,  and  spoke  to  all  who  came  out  to  hear ;  and 
before  many  weeks  had  gone  it  became  known  in  the  city  that 
teachers  of  strange  new  things  had  come,  and  that  they  spoke  to 
the  people  under  the  trees  by  the  river. 


In    a    Leafy   Vale. 

PHILIPPI  :    AGED    50-60. 

PAUL  remained  in  Philippi  until  the  rains  began  to  pour 
down  day  after  day,  and  the  silver  streams  overflowed,  and 
the  great  plain  became  a  flooded  lake ;  then  in  one  night  the  hills 
were  white  with  snow,  and  it  was  time  for  people  to  crowd  into 
walled  cities,  and  think  no  more  of  travelling.  Still  every  Sab- 
bath  Day  they   went  to  the   Jewish   praying-place   outside  the 


IN   A   LEAFY   VALE.  257 

city ;  but  very  few  became  Christians,  and  two  women — Euodias 
and  Syntyche,  who  afterwards  helped  much  in  the  city — Clement, 
Epaphras,  Syzygus,  and  a  few  others,  are  all  the  names  we 
have.  What  did  he  say  to  these  Jews  in  a  foreign  city,  too  few 
to  have  a  synagogue,  and  women  who  turned  their  hearts  to  Jesus, 
as  they  sat  in  the  early  morning  under  the  flickering  trees,  by 
the  glancing  river,  listening  to  the  Jew  in  the  brown  cloak,  whose 
eyes  glowed  as  he  spoke  1  Here  are  a  few  words  from  the  letter 
which  he  afterwards  wrote  to  them  : — 

"  To  you  it  is  given  not  only  to  believe  in  Jesus,  but  to  suffer 
for  Him,  as  I  have  suffered.  If  there  is  any  comfort  in  Jesus, 
any  consolation  of  love,  any  companionship  of  His  Spirit,  any 
tender  mercy  and  compassion,  make  my  joy  full  by  being  like 
me,  having  the  same  love  to  each  other,  agreeing  together,  and 
being  of  one  mind. 

"  Do  nothing  through  faction  or  vainglory  ;  but  in  lowliness  of 
mind  let  each  count  the  other  better  than  himself,  not  looking  to 
your  own  welfare  only,  but  also  to  the  good  of  others.  Have  the 
same  mind  in  you  which  was  in  Jesus  the  Christ.  He  was  like 
God,  yet  He  did  not  seek  to  be  equal  with  God,  but  came  down  as 
a  man  and  a  slave,  humbling  Himself  to  the  death  on  the  cross. 
And  so  God  raised  Him  up,  giving  Him  a  name  which  is  above 
every  name :  that  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  one  should  kneel 
in  heaven  and  earth,  and  every  tongue  say  that  Jesus  the  Christ 
is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father. 

"  Any  goodness  in  me  is  not  there  by  keeping  the  Jewish  law, 
but  through  faith  in  Jesus,  and  is  the  righteousness  that  is  of  God 
by  faith.  Through  faith  I  know  Him,  and  the  power  of  His  rising 
again,  and  the  feeling  for  His  sufferings  and  death,  if  by  any  way 
I  may  reach  the  rising  from  the  dead.  I  have  not  yet  reached 
this  high  perfection  ;  but,  like  a  runner,  I  press  on,  if  so  be  that  I 
may  lay  hold  on  that  for  which  Jesus  laid  hold  on  me.  Brothers, 
I  do  not  count  that  I  have  yet  laid  hold  on  this ;  but  one  thing  I 
do,  like  a  runner,  forgetting  all  that  is  behind,  and  stretching  out 
to  what  is  before,  I  press  forward  towards  the  end  of  the  race,  and 
the  prize  which  is  the  upward  call  of  God  in  Jesus  the  Christ. 
Let  us  all  who  would  be  perfect  be  thus  minded ;  and  if  you  should 
ever  think  otherwise,  God  will  reveal  the  right  to  you.  Continue 
to  live  by  the  true  light,  which  has  brought  you  so  far. 

"  Rejoice  in  Jesus  always.  Kejoice,  and  let  your  moderation 
be  known  to  all.  The  Lord  is  near.  Be  not  anxious ;  but  in  all 
things  with  prayer  and  thanks  let  your  wishes  be  made  known  to 
God.  And  the  peace  of  God,  which  passes  all  understanding,  will 
guard  your  hearts  and  your  thoughts  in  Him.     Finally,  brothers, 

(1,040)  17 


258  SCOURGED   WITH    BIRCH-RODS. 

whatever  things  are  true  and  honourable,  just  and  pure,  lovely 
and  well  spoken  of ;  if  there  be  any  virtue,  if  there  be  any  praise, 
think  on  these  things;  and  whatever  you  have  learned,  and  re- 
ceived, and  heard,  and  seen  in  me,  that  do :  and  the  God  of  peace 
will  be  with  you." 

There  were  not  many  by  that  river's  bank  who  believed  in 
Jesus  as  he  did,  but  his  countrymen  were  willing  to  listen  to  a 
rabbi  of  Jerusalem,  and  Silas,  his  companion ;  and  although  they 
shook  their  heads  and  murmured  their  dissent  from  Jesus  being 
the  Christ,  they  bowed  them  reverently  as  they  listened  to  the 
orator's  exhortations  to  live  the  higher  life  in  reliance  upon  the 
living  God,  for  they  had  never  heard  a  nobler  speaker. 

But  Paul  did  not  speak  by  the  river-side  only.  In  the  bazaars 
and  markets  of  the  city,  where  the  people  gathered  together  to 
buy  and  sell  and  gossip,  he  spoke  to  them  about  the  living  God, 
and  Jesus  His  Son,  and  bade  them  give  up  the  worship  of  idols  of 
wood  and  stone.  And  many  smiled  as  they  heard  these  travelling 
Jews  calling  their  worship  kneeling  to  trees  and  stones,  and 
disliked  them  for  being  Jews,  and  for  asking  them  to  give  up  the 
customs  of  their  fathers,  to  which  they  had  been  so  long  used.  But 
although  they  were  disliked,  they  went  about  speaking  openly  to 
the  people,  and  to  the  Jews  at  their  praying-place  by  the  river. 


Scourged  with   Birch = Rods. 

PHILIPPI  :    AGED    50-60. 

THERE  was  a  slave  girl  in  the  city  who  was  thought  very  won- 
derful, because  she  could  make  her  voice  sound  as  if  some 
one  else  were  speaking.  She  said  she  could  tell  secrets  by  the  aid 
of  mystical  signs  and  words ;  and  the  men  to  whom  she  belonged 
got  money  from  the  people  who  came  to  see  her.  She  hated  her 
masters  and  her  work,  and  had  heard  Paul  and  Silas  speaking, 
and  liked  them,  and  used  to  watch  for  them  as  they  passed  by, 
going  out  with  their  friends  by  the  west  gate  of  the  city  towards 
the  meeting-place  by  the  river.  She  followed  them,  with  jingling 
brass  rings  on  arms  and  ankles,  calling  to  the  people  as  she  went, 
"  These  men  are  the  slaves  of  the  Most  High  God,  who  tell  you 
the  way  to  be  saved  ! "  shouting  again  and  again,  until  the  people 
wondered  that  this  strange  girl,  with  dark  hair  and  dreamy  eyes, 
should  speak  thus  of  the  Jew  in  the  brown  cloak  and  his  taller 
companion.     Her  masters  were  annoyed,  but  she  did  not  care; 


SCOURGED   WITH   BmCH-RODS.  259 

and  day  after  day,  for  many  days,  she  followed  tliem  down  the 
wintry  street,  calling  the  same  thing.  Perhaps  she  wished  the 
people  to  go  with  Paul  out  to  the  river  and  listen  to  his  preaching ; 
but  he  did  not  like  it,  and  her  behaviour  troubled  him  greatly. 
Turning  round  on  her  as  she  followed  them  one  morning  shouting 
her  strange  cry,  he  said,  as  if  speaking  to  something  within  her, 
"  I  tell  you,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  the  Christ,  come  out  of  the 
girl."  She  stood  still,  astonished,  and  turning  away,  left  them. 
After  that  there  came  a  change.  She  called  no  more  after  them 
when  she  saw  them  in  the  street,  and  refused  to  do  any  more 
wonders.  The  change  was  a  good  one,  and  pleased  Paul  and 
Silas,  but  it  did  not  please  her  masters. 

"When  they  found  that  their  slave  girl  would  no  nothing, 
and  their  hope  of  making  money  was  gone,  they  became  very 
angry,  and  blaming  Paul,  threatened  loudly  to  punish  him. 
Getting  friends  to  help,  and  watching  for  Paul  and  Silas,  they 
surrounded  them,  and  laying  hold  of  their  cloaks,  dragged  them 
along  the  street,  not  without  buffets  and  kicks,  into  the  market 
square,  shouting  loudly  as  if  they  had  caught  two  thieves,  until 
they  gathered  a  large  crowd.  The  chief  men  of  the  market  said 
they  should  be  taken  before  the  city  judges  for  teaching  unlaw- 
fully and  causing  a  riot. 

The  two  Roman  magistrates  were  sitting  as  usual  on  a  raised 
pavement  in  the  open  air,  with  a  yellow  awning  over  them  to  keep 
off  the  sun.  Behind  stood  the  two  sergeants  with  rods  and  axe, 
and  they  were  ready  to  hear  all  grievances,  and  say  what  should 
be  done  at  once  to  keep  order,  although  not  really  trying  the 
persons.  The  men  of  the  market,  still  dragging  Paul  and  Silas  by 
their  cloaks,  brought  them  before  the  magistrates,  who  sat  aloft  in 
purple-bordered  cloaks  looking  gravely  down  on  the  noisy,  dirty 
people,  with  naked  arms  and  dusky  faces,  who  shouted  loudly, — 

"  These  men  are  Jews !  They  are  troubling  our  city  greatly 
by  teaching  the  people  customs  which  it  is  against  the  law  for 
us  to  listen  to  or  do,  for  we  are  all  Romans  here." 

The  Emperor  Claudius  had  ordered  all  Jews  to  leave  Rome, 
which  caused  them  to  be  suspected,  and  often  hated,  in  Roman 
cities;  and  it  was  always  dangerous  for  a  crowd  to  cry,  "A 
Jew  !  a  Jew  ! "  Looking  at  Paul  and  Silas,  tlie  people  could 
see  from  their  black  hair,  ruddy  complexions,  and  marked  feat- 
ures that  they  were  plainly  Jews  who  were  being  accused  by 
these  leading  citizens.  The  angry  screams  and  loud  threats 
quickly  drew  more  people  to  the  spot,  until  there  was  a  riot 
indeed  of  shrieking  men  calling  upon  the  magistrates  to  punish 
the  Jews,  they  knew  not  what  for. 


260  AN   EARTHQUAKE. 

The  judges  saw  the  striped  kerchiefs  and  woollen  cloaks,  and 
recognized  them  as  Jews,  and  springing  to  their  feet,  with  uplifted 
hands  they  seized  their  own  tunics  and  tore  them  before  the 
people,  as  a  sign  of  great  anger,  and  turning  to  their  sergeants,  in 
a  loud  voice  tliey  ordered  them  to  beat  Paul  and  Silas  with  rods — 
a  thing  which  was  common  with  slaves  and  with  men  who  were  not 
Koman  citizens.  They  did  not  dream  that  these  travelling  Jews 
might  be  citizens  of  Rome,  and  if  Paul  and  Silas  shouted  that 
they  were,  their  voices  were  drowned  in  the  yells  of  the  mob, 
who  were  delighted  that  they  were  to  be  thrashed. 

It  was  not  a  trial,  only  a  passing  order,  given  to  please  the 
people  and  stop  a  riot ;  and  the  magistrates  thought  that  a 
scourging  here  or  there  did  not  matter  with  two  strange  Jews, 
who  might  never  be  in  their  city  again.  Paul  and  Silas  were 
at  once  taken  over  to  the  public  whipping-place  in  the  middle  of 
the  market  square,  where  they  were  stripped  to  the  waist  before 
having  their  hands  tied  to  the  post.  If  they  protested  that 
they  were  Romans,  they  were  not  believed.  The  sergeants  tucked 
up  their  tunics,  and  the  people  jeered  as  they  stood  round  and 
saw  the  Jews'  naked  backs  scored  with  fierce  strokes  of  thick 
birch-rods  until  the  blood  ran  down,  the  magistrates,  from  a 
distance,  seeing  what  was  done. 


An  Earthquake. 

PHILIPPI:     AGED    50-60. 

A  ROMAN  flogging  was  the  common  punishment  for  rogues, 
but  it  was  none  the  less  terrible,  for  the  rods  sometimes 
cut  into  the  bone,  and  generally  left  the  poor  wretch  insensible  on 
the  ground. 

The  mob  was  pleased.  The  travelling  Jews  had  been  flogged, 
and  flinging  their  cloaks  over  their  bruised  and  bleeding  backs, 
Paul  and  Silas  were  taken  to  the  common  jail,  which  was  often 
a  cave  in  the  rock,  or  a  cavern  under  the  ground  ;  for  in  these  days 
prisoners  were  treated  as  we  would  not  treat  brutes.  Their  dun- 
geon would  be  a  low-roofed  place  with  thick  walls,  having  a  small 
door  of  wood  fastened  to  stone  pillars.  There  were  no  windows, 
but  there  was  an  inner  hole,  a  smaller  dungeon,  shut  off"  by  another 
door — a  low,  disgusting  place,  more  fit  for  swine  than  human 
beings,  with  foul  straw  to  lie  on,  foul  air  to  breathe,  and  heat 
unbearable — where  men  were  put  for  special  safety.     Into  the 


AN   EARTHQUAKE.  261 

black  hole  of  this  inner  den  Paul  and  Silas  were  thrust,  and 
their  feet  fastened  into  wooden  stocks  fixed  to  the  wall,  to  prevent 
them  from  rising  and  forcing  open  the  crazy  doors.  There  they 
were  to  be  kept  until  the  magistrates  should  say  what  was  to 
be  done  witli  them. 

In  that  vile  place  of  black  darkness  Paul  would  realize  the 
horror  and  the  torture  which,  when  a  member  of  the  Sanhedrim, 
he  had  meted  out  to  the  poor,  trembling  Nazarene  men  and  women 
who  were  flogged  and  imprisoned  until  they  would  curse  the  holy 
name  of  Jesus.     He  was  drinking  of  their  cup  of  bitterness. 

The  jailer  left  them  sick  and  ill,  and  the  coarse  wooden  doors 
were  shut  and  barred.  The  night  of  pain  and  torture  for  the 
bleeding  prisoners  moved  slowly  on,  amid  choking  heat,  in  the 
loathsome  den.  Sitting  in  the  stocks,  racked  with  pain,  they 
could  not  sleep.  Perhaps  death  would  come  on  the  morrow,  and 
they  sought  comfort  in  the  psalms  which  they  had  learned  to'  sing 
as  little  children — the  comfort  of  many  a  prisoner  since  then.  In 
the  blackness  they  sang  Jewish  psalms,  and  the  other  prisoners  in 
the  dark  heard  and  listened,  not  knowing  what  they  were ;  and  so 
the  slow  hours  passed.  The  stars  came  out  over  the  hills,  with 
here  and  there  a  window  light ;  the  people  went  to  their  beds, 
the  moonlit  streets  were  empty,  and  the  city  slept;  but  there 
was  no  sleep  for  the  prisoners  stifling  in  the  darkness. 

Suddenly  the  brooding  stillness  was  broken  by  a  rumbling 
sound.  The  earth  heaved  and  rocked;  walls  trembled;  doors 
were  shaken,  and  fell  away  from  their  pillars  ;  the  prisoners'  stocks 
were  loosened  from  the  walls ;  the  very  foundations  of  the  prison 
were  moved.  The  jailer  awoke  in  bed.  It  was  an  earthquake ! 
If  his  prisoners  should  escape,  he  would  be  terribly  punished. 
He  ran  from  his  house  to  find  the  outer  prison  door  lying  on  the 
ground.  They  were  gone !  With  a  cry  he  drew  his  "sword,  and 
would  have  killed  himself.  Looking  from  the  back  of  the  dun- 
geon, Paul  could  see  his  figure  and  glittering  sword  in  the  moon- 
light, and  hear  his  words. 

"  Do  not  stab  yourself.  We  are  aU  here."  The  jailer  stared 
into  the  dark  hole,  calling  loudly  for  a  light.  Lights  were 
brought,  and,  lantern  in  hand,  he  went  in  trembling  to  seek  them ; 
and  his  joy  was  so  great  that  he  knelt  down  on  the  muddy  floor 
and  besought  Paul  and  Silas  to  come  out.  His  sudden  terror 
and  great  relief  moved  him  deeply,  and  Paul  spoke.  Perhaps 
he  told  him  that  they  were  Romans,  and  the  messengers  of  the 
living  God,  for  the  jailer  exclaimed,  "Sirs,  what  must  I  do  to  be 
saved ?"^  He  had  heard  of  their  teaching.  "Believe  on  Jesus 
the  Christ,  and  you  will  be  saved,  you  and  your  children,"  was 


262  A   VERY   HUMBLE    APOLOGY. 

the  solemn  answer;  then  he  told  him  what  the  great  words 
meant.  Taking  them  from  the  jail  up  to  his  house,  where  his 
wife  and  children  were,  he  washed  the  blood  from  their  wounded 
backs,  and  put  on  oil.  Paul  told  them  of  the  glorious  gospel  of 
Jesus ;  and  in  answer  to  his  solemn  question  all  in  the  house 
said  that  they  wished  to  be  Christians,  and  before  it  was  morning 
they  were  baptized  one  by  one,  after  the  manner  of  the  Nazarenes. 
They  gave  the  suffering  men  food  and  drink  to  comfort  them,  and 
a  place  to  rest  till  the  morning,  rejoicing  greatly  that  they  were 
able  to  do  so. 


A  Very  Humble  Apology, 

PHILIPPI  :     AGED    50-60. 

THEIR  wounds  were  such  that  they  would  not  sleep  much  in 
the  jailer's  house.  When  the  cold  light  of  a  winter  morning 
dawned  over  the  dark  castle  on  the  hill,  and  the  lake  below 
rippled  with  silver,  messengers  from  the  magistrates  were  knock- 
ing at  the  jailer's  door,  and,  to  his  surprise,  he  received  an  order 
to  set  the  two  Jews  free.  Perhaps  they  had  heard  that  the 
prisoners  whom  they  flogged  so  suddenly  were  no  common  men, 
but  Jews  of  education  and  position  from  Jerusalem,  bearing  Roman 
names.  Luke  and  Timothy  were  not  idle  while  their  friends  were 
in  prison.  The  magistrates  were  anxious  that  they  should  be  let 
out  very  early  in  the  morning,  and  get  away  from  the  city  and 
their  enemies,  and  so  give  them  no  more  trouble. 

The  jailer  rejoiced,  and  hastened  with  the  message.  "  The  magis- 
trates have  sent  to  let  you  go.  Come  out,  and  go  in  peace."  But 
Paul  was  not  minded  to  let  them  cover  up  their  outrage.  He  and 
Silas  were  indignant  at  being  flogged  like  thieves.  The  magis- 
trates had  outraged  the  laws  of  Rome,  and  must  express  their 
sorrow.  Paul  was  now  the  judge,  and  they  the  criminals.  The 
messengers  were  brought  and  told  that  their  masters  had  broken 
one  of  the  highest  laws  of  Rome  in  flogging  Romans  without  first 
trying  them. 

"  Tell  your  masters,"  he  said,  "  that  we  are  Romans,  and  that 
they  have  beaten  us  in  the  public  market-place  without  making 
any  inquiry,  and  have  put  us  into  a  dungeon  without  trial 
or  finding  us  guilty  of  anything.  And  now  they  wish  to  get  us 
out  privately,  so  that  nothing  may  be  heard  of  the  outrage  which 
they  have  done.  No  indeed  !  We  shall  not  go  out  thus."  And 
to  the  amazement   of   the   men   he   added,   "Tell   your   masters 


A    VERY    HUMBLE    APOLOGY.  26S 

to  come  themselves  and  bring  us  out."  Paul  had  not  lived  in 
Tarsus  as  a  free  Roman  citizen  without  knowing  his  rights.  No- 
where in  the  whole  of  the  Roman  Empire  could  he  be  punished 
without  free  and  open  trial  by  a  Roman  judge,  with  the  right  to 
appeal  to  the  court  in  Rome  if  he  wished.  He  also  knew  what 
could  be  done  to  any  judge,  Roman  or  foreign,  who  broke  that  law. 

The  messengers  hastened  back  to  their  masters  w^ith  the  mes- 
sage ;  and  they  had  good  reason  to  be  afraid,  for  the  determination 
of  a  Jew  was  well  known.  They  had  learned  since  yesterday  that 
the  two  strangers  were  free  Roman  citizens,  and  that  in  flogging 
them  they  had  committed  a  great  crime,  for  which  Paul  and 
Silas  could  get  them  heavily  punished,  and  they  lost  no  time  in 
hastening  through  the  streets  to  the  jailer's  house  to  see  them. 
It  was  their  turn  now  to  tremble  as  they  stood  before  the  two 
Romans  whose  backs  had  been  cut  and  bruised  by  their  orders. 
With  grey  eyes  fixed  upon  them,  Paul  listened  to  the  very  humble 
apologies  of  the  magistrates,  who  sat  so  proudly  yesterday  in  their 
robes  and  chairs,  now  cringing  and  begging  him  to  go  away  into 
freedom,  and  say  not  a  word  of  what  they  had  done.  They  had 
better  reason  now  to  tear  their  robes  in  grief. 

With  their  own  hands  they  brought  them  out  to  the  street, 
asking  them  as  a  favour  not  to  remain,  but  to  leave  the  city  at 
once.  But  Paul  would  give  no  promise,  and  with  Silas  by  his 
side,  their  limbs  stiff,  their  brown  cloaks  torn  and  ragged,  but 
free  Romans  now,  they  went  away  through  the  streets  to  Lydia's 
house,  where  they  joined  their  friends,  who  were  grieved  to  see 
their  pitiful  state  after  their  cruel  ill-usage. 

It  would  be  days,  perhaps  weeks,  before  they  were  fit  to 
travel ;  and  many  came  to  see  them,  for  Lydia's  house  had  become 
the  meeting-place  of  the  Christians.  What  did  Paul  say  to  these 
men  and  women  who  listened  to  him  there?  Luke  has  not 
recorded  it.  He  was  now  fifty,  his  black  hair  was  sprinkled 
with  grey,  and  he  felt  older  than  any  who  listened  to  him — so 
old  that  they  seemed  children,  as  they  sat  on  their  bright  mats 
before  him,  with  eyes  fixed  on  his  face.  This  is  from  one  of 
the  letters  which  he  afterwards  wrote  to  them  : — 

"  Work  out  your  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling.  For 
it  is  God  that  worketh  in  you  to  will  and  do  His  good  pleasure. 
Do  everything  without  grumbling  or  disputing :  that  you  may 
harm  no  one  and  be  without  blame,  children  of  God,  without 
fault,  in  a  crooked  and  perverse  age,  among  whom  you  are  seen 
as  lights  in  the  world.  Hold  forth  the  word  of  life,  that  I  may 
have  good  cause  to  glory  in  the  day  of  Jesus,  that  I  have  neither 
run  my  race  in  vain,  nor  worked  in  vain. 


264       A  ROMAN  ROAD  AND  A  MARBLE  ARCH. 

**  Be  imitators  together  of  me,  and  take  note  of  them  who  live 
aright,  for  you  have  us  as  an  example.  For  there  are  many  who 
do  not  so  live,  of  whom  I  have  often  told  you,  and  tell  you  again 
weeping,  that  they  are  the  enemies  of  Jesus  and  His  cross.  Their 
end  is  ruin,  for  they  worship  eating  and  drinking,  and  take  delight 
in  shameful  things,  setting  their  minds  only  on  the  base  things 
of  this  world.  But  we  are  citizens  of  heaven,  who  wait  for  a 
Saviour,  the  Lord  Jesus  the  Christ,  who  will  change  our  earthly 
bodies  into  bodies  of  glory,  by  that  power  through  which  He  is 
able  to  do  all  things.  Wherefore,  my  brethren  beloved  and  longed 
for,  my  joy  and  crown,  stand  fast  in  the  Lord  Jesus." 

On  these  grey  days  of  winter  the  little  gathering  of  hooded 
women  and  cloaked  men  in  the  purple-seller's  house  listened  to  the 
words  of  the  great  teacher,  dropped  like  seeds  into  their  hearts, 
to  flower  and  bear  fruit  in  their  lives. 

At  length  Paul  and  Silas  were  well  enough  to  travel,  and  they 
were  to  ride  out  along  the  paved  way  to  the  city  of  Thessalonica, 
where  there  were  Jews  and  a  synagogue.  But  Luke  and  Timothy 
were  to  remain  for  a  time.  Bidding  farewell,  they  rode  quietly 
out  by  the  west  gate  along  the  Roman  highway,  that  would  pass 
through  many  towns  and  villages  before  it  brought  them  to  the 
town  whither  they  were  going.  When  they  embraced  Luke  and 
Timothy,  they  were  parting  from  the  young  man  for  only  a  few 
days ;  but  Luke  they  would  not  see  for  years,  and  then  he  would 
be  a  travelling  teacher  like  themselves. 


A  Roman   Road  and  a  Marble  Arch. 

PHILIPPI :    AGED  50-60. 

WINTER  by  the  sea  was  a  different  thing  from  winter  among 
the  highlands  of  Asia.  There  the  mountains  were 
dazzling  ice  peaks,  and  the  roads  through  the  passes  blocked  with 
snow.  But  around  Philippi  the  winter  consisted  of  rains  and 
hail,  with  cold  winds,  flooded  rivers,  and  thunderstorms,  when 
lightning  played  through  the  darkened  air,  and  thunder  rolled 
among  the  hills,  with  sun-bursts  and  days  of  shining. 

Thessalonica  was  a  hundred  miles  off,  but  the  road  was  the 
best  in  Macedonia,  paved  with  blocks  of  marble  by  those  wonder- 
ful roadmakers  the  Romans  ;  for  the  great  Egnatian  Way  was 
kept  in  good  repair,  marked  all  along  with  milestones  that  told 
the  distance  from  the  heart  of  the  world.     And  as  Paul  rode 


A  ROMAN  ROAD  AND  A  MARBLE  ARCH.       265 

slowly  past  these  stone  records,  lie  thought  of  Rome,  and  that 
one  day  he  would  stand  where  all  roads  meet,  in  the  midst  of 
that  great  city.  They  rode  by  a  valley  close  to  the  sea,  and 
inland  until  they  could  no  longer  see  the  blue  water  flashing 
among  the  islands.  By  the  end  of  the  first  day  they  had  passed 
one  lake,  and  seen  another,  with  the  river  Strymon  flowing  out 
of  it ;  and  at  an  opening  in  the  hills  they  came  to  Amphipolis  of 
the  Nine  Ways,  so  called  because  of  the  many  roads  into  it,  a 
city  larger  than  Philippi. 

There  Paul  and  Silas  would  seek  the  shelter  of  the  house  for 
travellers,  where  they  would  have  to  cook  their  own  food,  and 
sleep  on  the  ground,  wrapped  in  thick  cloaks,  with  their  feet  to 
the  fire.  Travellers  rose  early,  and  after  a  breakfast,  in  which 
buff'alo  milk  from  their  leather  bottle  and  tough  scones  from  the 
satchel  would  be  the  main  part,  they  would  saddle  and  ride  on 
again,  Paul  wrapping  his  brown  cloak  about  him  as  he  met  the 
cold  wind.  The  paved  road  turned  again  to  the  sea,  and  they 
saw  the  blue  waves  coursing  before  the  wind,  and  far  away  the 
white  peak  of  Mount  Athos,  which  they  had  seen  gleaming  golden 
from  the  walls  of  Troy.  By  the  end  of  the  day  they  lost  sight  of 
tossing  waves  and  purple  isles,  and  were  riding  through  the  moun- 
tains on  their  way  to  the  town  of  Apollonia,  where  they  would 
spend  another  night  in  the  comfortless  place  for  passing  travellers. 

Next  day  they  looked  down  upon  the  plain  of  Axius,  and  the 
Gulf  of  Thessalonica,  called  after  his  sister  by  Alexander  the 
Great,  so  that  two  of  Paul's  letters  in  our  Bible  bear  her  name. 
The  city  is  a  thriving  one  still,  and  the  harbour  is  the  favourite  for 
English  ships  in  that  part  of  the  world. 

As  they  rode  through  the  hollow  in  the  hills,  they  looked 
down  upon  the  blue  gulf,  and  towards  the  shores  of  Greece  and 
the  snow-clad  Mount  Olympus,  the  most  famous  among  moun- 
tains. The  Greek  poets  loved  to  think  that  a  group  of  imaginary 
beings  dwelt  there,  among  pure  snows  and  pearly  clouds,  ruled 
over  by  King  Jove  ;  and  they  made  up  beautiful  stories,  poems, 
and  childish  tales  about  them,  which  those  who  made  them  did 
not  believe,  but  many  who  read  them  did.  And  men  named  their 
idols  after  them. 

Approaching  the  city  from  the  east  side,  Paul  saw  it,  like 
Antioch  and  Philippi,  rising  in  street  after  street  up  to  the 
castle  on  the  top  of  the  small  hill,  with  five  miles  of  strong  white- 
washed walls  and  square  white  towers  that  gave  it  a  very  bright 
appearance.  The  great  Egnatian  Way  passed  through  the  low 
arch  in  the  eastern  wall,  to  form  the  principal  street,  and  pass  out 
through  the  western  wall.     Built  over  it,  in  the  midst  of  the  city, 


266  IN   A   DIM    SYNAGOGUE. 

was  a  heavy  triumphal  arch  of  white  marble  blocks ;  and  high  up 
may  be  seen  carved — for  it  stands  there  still — five  bulls'  heads 
bearing  garlands,  with  stone  horses  and  stone  Romans  in  long 
cloaks.  Its  purpose  was  to  remind  all  who  passed  under  it  that 
Octavius  and  Antony  had  won  the  battle  of  Philippi ;  and  as  Paul 
rode  through  in  his  brown  cloak  he  would  read  the  Latin  procla- 
mation cut  deep  in  the  marble. 

But  the  battle  of  Philippi  brought  something  better  to 
Thessalonica  than  a  marble  arch  to  make  the  street  narrow.  It 
had  sided  with  the  victorious  generals,  and  they  made  it  a  free 
Koman  city,  to  manage  its  own  affairs  without  interference  from 
the  Roman  governor  of  the  province  of  Macedonia.  There  were 
no  Roman  soldiers  in  the  castle,  no  eagle  standards  seen  in  the 
streets,  and  the  people  chose  their  own  magistrates,  who  could 
punish  whom  they  liked,  and  even  put  criminals  to  death. 

Cut  upon  this  marble  arch,  along  with  the  robed  figures  of 
the  Romans,  can  still  be  seen  the  names  of  seven  magistrates, 
which  Paul  and  Silas  would  often  read  as  they  passed  through ; 
and  of  the  seven,  it  is  thought  that  Sopater,  Gaius,  and  Secundus 
became  Paul's  friends. 


In  a   Dim  Synagogue. 

THESSALONICA:    AGED  50-60. 

THESSALONICA  was  not  like  Philippi,  a  city  of  old  Roman 
soldiers,  but  a  trading  city  of  merchants  and  sailors,  shop- 
keepers and  workmen  ;  so  that  there  were  hundreds  of  Jews  living 
in  streets  of  their  own  in  one  part  of  the  city,  and  they  had  a 
large  synagogue.  Paul  may  have  brought  a  letter  of  introduction, 
for  he  went  to  one  called  Jason,  who  asked  them  to  live  with  him. 

Spinning  and  weaving  were  common  in  the  place,  and  as  Paul 
intended  to  remain  some  time,  he  started  weaving  and  tentmaking, 
for  he  wished  to  be  a  burden  on  no  one.  Their  money  had  a 
man's  head  on  one  side  and  a  winged  woman  on  the  other,  and  it 
must  have  been  scarce  in  the  town,  for  Paul  found  it  so  hard  to 
keep  himself  that  he  and  Silas  had  to  work  both  night  and  day. 
And  we  can  picture  them  sitting  in  the  market-place,  or  going 
among  the  ships  in  the  harbour,  trying  to  sell  the  thick  haircloth 
which  they  had  woven,  by  the  light  of  a  smoky  oil  lamp,  through 
many  weary  hours  of  the  cold  winter  night. 

Sabbath  after  Sabbath  he  went  to  the  synagogue  to  proclaim 


IN    A    DIM    SYNAGOGUE.  267 

the  glad  tidings  to  his  countrymen  that  Jesus  was  the  Christ.  At 
first  they  listened  in  silence,  then  they  asked  questions.  The 
rabbis  said  the  Messiah  was  to  be  a  King  who  would  reign  in 
Jerusalem  for  ever.  How  could  He  be  a  carpenter  of  Nazareth 
and  be  crucified  ?  And  Paul  answered  them  from  his  complete 
knowledge  of  the  Bible.  "  It  is  right  that  the  Christ  should  die 
and  rise  again  from  the  dead.  And  this  Jesus  of  whom  I  tell 
you  is  indeed  the  Christ."  Rising  Sabbath  after  Sabbath,  he 
proclaimed  the  same  glad  message.  His  countrymen  came  in 
crowds,  and  the  large,  dimly-lit  synagogue  was  filled  with  dark 
faces  and  flashing  eyes  of  earnest  men,  as  they  sat  listening  to 
the  wonderful  oratory  and  the  glorious  message  of  their  strange 
countryman.  We  do  not  know  what  he  said,  but  this  is  what 
he  afterwards  wrote  : — 

"  I  speak  the  truth  in  Jesus,  I  do  not  lie,  for  my  conscience 
bears  me  witness  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  I  have  great  sorrow  and 
constant  pain  in  my  heart  for  my  countrymen.  I  could  wish  that 
I  were  banished  from  Jesus  for  the  sake  of  my  kinsmen  the  Jews, 
whom  God  took  as  His  people,  and  to  whom  the  glorious  promises 
were  given,  and  the  law  and  manner  of  serving  God.  These  are 
the  fathers  of  the  race,  and  Jesus  is  descended  from  them,  who  is 
over  all,  God  blessed  for  ever.  It  is  not  as  if  the  promises  of 
God  had  come  to  nothing.  They  are  not  all  God's  people  who  are 
descended  from  Abraham,  for  their  children  are  not  all  children 
of  God.  Shall  I  say  that  there  is  unrighteousness  with  Him? 
God  forbid.  He  said  to  Moses,  I  will  have  mercy  on  whom  I  will, 
and  compassion  on  whom  I  will.  So  that  the  mercy  of  God  is 
everything ;  for  He  has  mercy  on  whom  He  will,  and  He  hardens 
whom  He  will." 

But  the  leaders  of  the  synagogue  disputed  what  Paul  said, 
and  told  the  people  that  he  was  a  teacher  of  false  doctrine,  who 
wished  to  draw  them  away  from  the  old  faith,  so  that  not  many 
Jews  believed.  As  in  other  places,  so  there  came  the  day  when 
Paul  and  Silas  rose  one  after  another  in  the  crowded  and  excited 
synagogue,  saying  that  they  had  brought  the  glad  tidings  first  to 
them,  but  since  they  rejected  the  Christ,  they  would  turn  to  the 
foreigners  of  the  city — an  announcement  which  filled  the  lead- 
ing Jews  with  deep  indignation,  for  they  thought  it  a  most 
wicked  thing  to  do.  And  again  they  left  the  narrow  walls  of  a 
synagogue  to  preach  to  the  world  outside  in  the  streets. 

To  the  people  of  Thessalonica  Paul  spoke  with  boldness,  despite 
opposition  and  frequent  conflicts,  urging  them  to  give  up  wor- 
shipping Greek  idols,  and  going  to  their  temples  to  take  part  in 
feasting,  drinking,  and  wickedness,  and  to  cease  offering  wine  and 


268  PINK    HOODS    AND    EMBROIDERED    CLOAKS. 

fruits  and  animals  on  their  altars.  He  bade  them  serve  the 
living  God,  and  Jesus  His  Son,  who  died  for  men,  and  live  the 
higher  life  of  goodness  and  self-denial,  so  different  from  their 
present  one.  We  have  not  got  the  words  of  his  address  to  the 
people,  but  this  is  part  of  what  he  wrote  to  them  : — 

"  You  know  that  our  coming  among  you  has  not  been  in  vain. 
Having  suffered  and  been  shamefully  treated,  as  you  know,  at 
Philippi,  we  came  boldly  in  the  strength  of  God  to  proclaim  His 
gospel  to  you  amid  much  conflict.  Our  teaching  is  not  full  of 
cunning,  errors,  and  impurity ;  but  being  teachers  approved  and 
taught  of  God,  we  speak,  not  to  please  men,  but  to  please  God, 
who  knows  our  hearts.  At  no  time  have  we  been  found  using 
flattering  words  to  you,  as  a  cloak  for  greed,  as  you  know,  and  as 
God  knows.  Neither  have  we  sought  glory  from  you,  or  others, 
or  any  one,  although  we  might  have  claimed  honour  as  apostles  of 
Jesus.  But  we  have  been  gentle  among  you,  as  a  nurse  with  her 
own  children;  and  being  affectionate  over  you,  we  are  ready  to  give 
you,  not  the  gospel  of  God  only,  but  our  own  lives :  for  you  have 
become  very  dear  to  us.  You  remember  our  toil  and  labour ;  how 
we  work  both  night  and  day,  that  we  may  not  be  a  burden  to 
any  of  you,  but  always  preaching  the  gospel  of  God.  You  are 
witnesses,  as  God  also  is,  how  holily  and  without  blame  we 
behave  towards  you  who  believe ;  and  that  we  treat  every  one  of 
you  as  a  father  treats  his  children,  testifying,  advising,  and  en- 
couraging you  to  live  lives  worthy  of  God,  by  whose  voice  you 
are  called  into  His  kingdom  of  glory." 

Paul  showed  them,  by  a  daily  example  of  gentleness,  and 
courage,  and  steady,  humble  industry,  how  they  should  live  the 
higher  life  in  Jesus.  For  the  people  were  inclined  to  follow  the 
ways  of  their  priests,  and,  when  they  became  Christians,  to  give 
up  steady  work  and  go  about  preaching  and  talking,  expecting 
others  to  feed  and  clothe  them.  And  so  he  would  take  no  help 
from  them,  and  said  that  a  man  who  did  not  work  should  not  eat. 


Pink  Hoods  and   Embroidered   Cloaks. 

THESSALONICA :     AGED    50-60. 

THE  people  liked  him.  He  was  a  tradesman,  who  worked 
that  he  might  teach.  They  were  dyers,  potters,  saddlers, 
masons,  carpenters,  boat-builders,  shopkeepers,  sailors — some  free, 
many  slaves.  He  spoke  straight  to  them,  telling  them  what  to 
do  in  their  daily  lives,  and  pointing  their  eyes  to  the  living  God, 


PINK    HOODS    AND    EMBROIDERED    CLOAKS.  269 

but  he  never  knew  when  he  would  be  rudely  interrupted  and 
contradicted.  There  were  also  educated  people  there  :  for  Cicero, 
the  greatest  of  Roman  orators,  when  he  had  to  leave  Rome, 
chose  this  city  for  his  place  of  banishment;  and  although  that 
was  about  two  hundred  years  ago,  his  fame  was  still  fresh  among 
them.  These  educated  people  had  little  faith  in  idols  or  idol- 
worship,  and  only  followed  the  fashion  of  the  day,  smiling  at  the 
tales  about  the  inhabitants  of  cloudy  Mount  Olympus  which  the 
common  people  believed.  And  they  too  liked  the  travelling  Jew 
in  the  brown  cloak,  with  his  graceful  gestures  and  glowing  eyes, 
and  listened  to  the  finished  sentences,  which  told  them  he  was  a 
scholar.  They  had  never  heard  anything  to  equal  his  picture  of 
the  higher  life  of  temperance  and  holiness  shown  in  Jesus,  and  of 
faith  in  a  living  God. 

And  as  he  spoke  in  the  wintry  sunshine  of  the  market-place, 
women  in  hood  and  cloak  of  purple  and  dark  blue,  of  black  and 
deep  crimson,  stopped  as  they  passed,  and  listened  for  a  little  to 
snatches  of  the  story  of  the  Holy  One  over  whom  the  women 
of  Jerusalem  wept,  and  whom  Silas  saw.  Their  garments  were 
embroidered  with  silk,  and  their  shoes  laced  with  gold,  for  these 
hooded  women  were  the  wives  and  daughters  of  rich  men  of 
the  city.  And  so  it  came  that  many  of  the  foreigners  who  used 
to  go  and  listen  in  the  synagogues,  and  a  number  of  the  chief 
women  of  the  city,  openly  became  Christians,  and  came  to  their 
meeting-place  to  hear  Paul  and  Silas  speaking.  In  Macedonia  the 
people  called  themselves  Greeks,  and  the  women  enjoyed  a  freedom 
in  religion  and  in  daily  life  which  was  not  known  in  Asia  or 
Palestine.  Women  were  the  most  faithful  of  the  followers  of 
Jesus  while  He  lived,  and  so  we  find  them  quick  to  believe  wher- 
ever they  hear  His  gospel  preached.  And  little  wonder,  for  none 
suffered  more  from  the  brutal  orgies  of  idolatry,  and  to  none  did 
Jesus  bring  tidings  of  greater  gladness  or  nobler  freedom.  And  of 
what  did  Paul  speak  to  those  ladies  clad  in  perfumed  raiment, 
tinted  of  the  rose  and  the  skies,  and  to  those  tradesmen,  artisans, 
and  slaves  from  the  dye-tub  and  tan-yard  ? 

You  can  see  them  gathered  in  a  large  room  with  a  small  door, 
and  slits  high  up  for  windows,  sitting  close  packed  on  the  floor, 
and  standing  round  the  walls.  It  is  night,  and  a  small,  smoky 
lamp,  hanging  by  a  chain  from  the  roof,  throws  a  ruddy  light  on 
the  face  of  Paul  and  his  younger  companion.  Ladies  sit  near, 
with  their  hoods  thrown  back  ;  the  men's  heads  are  covered 
and  uncovered.  Some  gaze  with  gladness  at  the  speaker,  some 
at  their  own  clasped  hands,  with  tears ;  and  breathing  is  hushed, 
for  they  believe  he  speaks  the  very  words  of  God. 


270  PINK   HOODS   AND   EMBROIDERED    CLOAKS. 

"I  beseech  and  advise  you,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
that,  as  you  have  learned  from  us  how  you  ought  to  live  to  please 
God  as  you  are  now  living,  excel  in  it  more  and  more.  For  you 
know  our  charge  which  we  give  you  through  the  Lord  Jesus.  It 
is  the  will  of  God  that  you  should  be  made  pure ;  therefore  avoid 
all  unfaithfulness,  and  live  honourable  lives,  not  giving  way  to 
wicked  passions,  as  idolaters  do  who  know  not  God.  Let  no 
one  wrong  his  brother  in  this,  for  the  Lord  will  avenge  these 
things,  as  we  have  plainly  told  you.  God's  voice  calls  us  to  live 
clean  and  pure  lives  ;  and  whoever  turns  away  from  that  teaching 
rejects  not  man  but  God,  who  will  give  His  Holy  Spirit  to  you. 

"  About  love  towards  each  other,  you  need  no  instruction  from 
me  :  for  you  are  taught  of  God  to  love  one  another,  and  you 
do  it  toward  all  the  Christians  of  Macedonia.  But  I  counsel 
you  to  have  more  love  for  each  other,  and  study  to  be  quiet,  and 
to  work  at  your  business  with  your  hands,  that  you  may  live 
honestly  toward  them  who  are  not  Christians,  and  want  for 
nothing,  as  I  have  already  told  you.  I  would  not  have  you  to 
be  ignorant  about  them  who  have  fallen  asleep  in  death,  or  to 
sorrow  for  them  like  unbelievers  who  have  no  hope.  If  we 
believe  that  Jesus  died  and  rose  again,  even  so  they  who  are  in 
Jesus  will  God  bring  with  Him." 

Listening  to  words  like  these,  we  need  not  wonder  that  they 
regarded  whatever  he  said  as  a  message  from  God.  He  warned 
them,  too,  that  they  would  be  persecuted  by  their  fellow-towns- 
men when  they  learned  that  they  had  turned  against  their  cher- 
ished idols  and  temples,  and  would  no  more  follow  the  wicked 
customs  in  which  they  had  been  brought  up.  With  deep  voices 
the  men  answered  that  they  were  not  afraid  of  flogging  or  im- 
prisonment; and  the  women  trembled,  and  wondered  if  they 
would  be  touched. 

Thus  Paul  taught,  and  thus  they  listened ;  and  after  he  was 
done,  he  went  among  them,  speaking  words  of  comfort  and 
encouragement.  And  we  may  be  sure  that  none  of  the  men 
and  women  ever  forgot  the  tones  of  his  voice,  and  the  words  he 
said,  on  the  night  when  he  persuaded  them  for  the  first  time, 
and  for  the  sake  of  Jesus,  to  turn  their  backs  upon  their  idols 
and  their  faces  to  the  living  God. 


HOLDING   THE    DOOR.  271 

Holding:  the   Door. 

THESSALONICA  :    AGED    50-60. 

THE  wintry  months,  with  snow-drifts  upon  the  hills,  floods  in 
the  rivers,  and  storms  among  the  islands,  were  spent  by 
Paul  and  Silas  in  the  seaport  town  at  the  head  of  the  blue  gulf. 
He  had  his  own  reasons  for  declining  help  from  the  people  of 
the  town,  but  one  day  he  joyfully  received  a  gift  from  Philippi. 
The  messenger  was  Epaphras,  and  he  brought  a  present  from 
his  friends,  of  whom  Lydia  would  be  one,  who  had  heard  of  his 
toil  and  hard  work.  He  received  their  gifts  so  gladly  that,  later 
on,  they  sent  him  more.  The  things  would  not  be  of  much 
value — dried  fruits,  parched  corn,  oil,  wine,  clothing,  and  a  little 
money — but  their  kindness  touched  his  heart.  In  the  letter 
which  he  afterwards  wrote  he  thanked  them  very  warmly. 

Spring  was  at  hand.  The  snows  were  vanishing  from  the  hills, 
the  wild-flowers  invading  the  valleys,  and  black  branches  budding 
to  the  sun  in  rods  and  fans  of  green.  Boats  were  being  launched 
into  the  harbour,  and  prepared  for  summer  trade ;  and  large  ships 
were  arriving  from  distant  ports — the  first  signal  for  these  great 
peaked  sails  to  move  about  the  gulf  again,  and  that  the  storms 
were  past.  The  travellers  had  been  more  successful  here  with 
the  gospel  than  in  any  other  place.  But  success  brought  danger. 
The  synagogue  Jews  despised  and  ignored  them  after  they  left 
the  synagogue,  but  their  success  amongst  the  townspeople  made 
them  angry.  And  when  they  saw  them  becoming  Christians, 
and  believing  on  the  living  God  and  Jesus  the  Christ,  they  were 
deeply  hurt,  and  called  Paul  and  Silas  false  teachers,  who  should 
be  put  out  of  the  city.     And  they  got  up  a  plot. 

Going  to  some  of  the  lowest  men  of  the  city — idle  fellows 
who,  if  rewarded,  were  ready  for  mischief — they  said  that  they 
wished  to  have  a  riot  about  the  two  preaching  Jews,  and  get 
them  punished.  In  the  market-place  they  told  the  people  what 
they  knew  about  Paul,  and  that  he  and  Silas  had  been  flogged  and 
imprisoned  in  Philippi  before  coming  to  them,  and  that  they  were 
deceivers,  who  were  there  for  a  bad  purpose.  The  people  listened, 
and  the  low  fellows  shouted  until  they  had  gathered  an  excited 
crowd ;  and  then  they  proposed  that  they  should  take  these  two 
Jews  before  the  magistrates. 

With  threats  of  hatred  against  the  strangers,  they  led  the 
crowd  out  of  the  market-place,  shouting  and  yelling  through  the 
sunny  streets,  to  Jason's  house.     But  Jason  heard,  and  his  door 


272  HOLDING   THE   DOOR. 

was  shut.  They  beat  on  it  with  their  sticks,  and  called  upon  him 
to  give  up  the  two  strange  Jews ;  but  Jason  and  his  friends  were 
silent  within,  holding  the  door,  and  the  noise  and  uproar  were  great. 
The  door  was  broken,  and  the  rabble  rushed  in  and  searched  the 
house  in  every  part ;  but  the  Jews  were  gone.  They  had  escaped. 
But  the  leaders  were  not  so  to  be  defeated.  Seizing  Jason  and  the 
other  Christians  in  the  house,  they  dragged  them  through  the  streets 
in  the  midst  of  a  yelling  crowd  to  the  market-place,  where  the 
magistrates  had  their  open  judgment-seat,  and  accused  them  there 
of  sheltering  criminals.  The  ruffians  had  been  taught  by  their 
Jewish  paymasters  to  say  that  Paul  and  Silas  were  plotting 
treason  against  the  Roman  emperor. 

By  the  Roman  law,  a  man  might  be  put  to  death  for  treason, 
and  many  things  were  covered  by  that  little  word,  so  that  it 
was  the  most  serious  thing  that  any  one  could  be  accused  of  in 
all  the  Roman  Empire.  The  first  duty  of  the  magistrate  was  to 
write  down  the  accusation  and  the  reply,  and  fix  a  day  for  the 
trial.  Standing  in  front  of  the  raised  pavement,  with  naked  arm 
extended  towards  Jason  and  his  friends,  the  ringleader  exclaimed 
in  a  loud  voice,  so  that  all  the  rabble  might  hear, — 

"These  strange  Jews,  who  have  been  turning  everything  up- 
side down  everywhere,  have  come  here  also,  and  Jason  has  taken 
them  into  his  house.  They,  and  he,  and  all  who  go  with  them  are 
doing  what  is  against  the  laws  of  Rome;  for  they  say  there  is 
another  king  than  Caesar,  called  Jesus,  and  that  is  treason." 

When  the  crowd  heard  this,  they  grew  more  excited,  and 
loud  shouts  of  anger  went  up  on  all  sides ;  and  the  magistrates 
were  troubled,  for  the  accusation  was  too  serious  to  be  put  aside. 
So  they  wrote  down  the  accusation  and  the  names  of  the  accusers 
and  the  accused,  and  did  a  thing  which  is  done  in  English  courts 
to  this  day,  for  we  have  learned  much  of  our  law  from  the 
Romans  of  Paul's  time  :  they  ordered  Jason  and  his  friends  to 
give  bail,  in  pledges  of  money  or  property,  that  they  would  appear 
on  the  day  of  trial.  Jason  was  well-to-do,  and  gave  the  pledges 
for  himself  and  his  friends,  and  they  were  allowed  to  go  home  in 
peace. 

The  synagogue  Jews  had  succeeded  in  part  of  their  plot,  but 
they  were  vexed  that  they  had  not  got  Paul  and  Silas.  Having 
got  Jason  and  the  others  into  the  hands  of  the  magistrates,  they 
thought  they  would  soon  have  them  also.  But  Jason,  who  held 
the  door,  was  determined  they  should  not.  He  and  his  friends 
would  face  their  trial  alone,  and  keep  Paul  and  Silas  clear.  And 
that  very  night  the  Christians  got  them  out  of  the  city  gate — 
no  doubt  disguised,  so  as  not  to  be  known;  and  after  seeing 


FRIENDLY   SYNAGOGUE    JEWS.  273 

them  on  a  part  of  their  way,  they  returned  to  face  their  punish- 
ment. And  when  the  day  of  trial  came  they  were  not  let  off,  be- 
cause the  two  Jews  had  left  the  city,  but  were  heavily  fined  for 
having  kept  them  in  their  houses.  That  did  not  make  them  change 
their  minds,  for  they  openly  kept  to  the  new  religion ;  and  their 
example  was  so  noble  that  the  Christians  of  Thessalonica  became 
one  of  the  strongest  congregations  formed  by  Paul. 


Friendly  Synagogue  Jews. 

BEKEA:    AGED  50-60. 

WRAPPED  in  his  brown  cloak,  Paul  and  his  companion 
hastened  along  the  Egnatian  Way,  leaving  Thessalonica 
behind  them,  from  which  they  had  escaped,  with  the  moonlight 
shining  upon  its  whitewashed  walls.  They  passed  out  of  the 
city  on  the  west  under  the  arch  of  Augustus,  which  is  standing 
there  still ;  but  they  did  not  keep  upon  the  busy  Roman  road 
towards  Pella,  fifty  miles  distant.  After  riding  for  some  time, 
with  the  sea  breaking  in  white  ridges  on  their  left,  they  turned 
into  a  road  that  struck  inland  across  the  plain.  And  when  the 
faint  grey  light  of  dawn  trembled  upon  the  sea,  and  a  band  of 
orange  spread  over  the  hills  behind  the  city,  they  were  drawing 
near  to  a  large  river  with  thickly-wooded  banks.  At  that  time 
of  the  year,  at  the  hour  of  the  dawn,  the  leaves,  the  grasses,  and 
the  flow^er-cups  are  frosted  with  living  dewdrops,  clustered  on  each 
scented  cup  and  balmy  leaf,  to  cool  the  world  and  fade  before  the 
sun;  and  then  the  woods  echo  with  bird-songs,  that  die  as  the 
day  advances. 

The  road  passed  for  miles  through  the  shade  of  deep  woods 
with  open  glades,  and  at  night  they  would  be  glad  to  sleep  in  a 
village  shelter,  safe  from  wolves  and  robbers.  That  road  is  now 
peaceful  enough,  and  you  can  go  in  a  railway  train,  in  less  than 
an  hour,  over  what  took  them  two  days'  riding,  before  they 
climbed  the  path  of  loose  stones  running  w^ith  water,  up  to  the 
town  of  Berea,  on  the  hillside,  the  end  of  their  journey.  Though 
not  large,  it  was  a  walled  town,  with  a  wide  view  of  plain  and 
forest,  crossed  by  two  wide  rivers,  w4th  hills  beyond,  but  no  sea. 
Green  trees  shaded  the  narrow  streets,  and  down  them  ran  streams 
of  water,  led  in  from  the  river,  close  at  hand.  They  probably  had 
letters  of  introduction,  for  they  at  once  found  friends,  and  were 
welcomed  by  some  of  their  own  fellow-countrymen. 

(1,040)  18 


274  FRIENDLY    SYNAGOGUE   JEWS. 

There  were  a  good  many  Jews  in  Berea,  and  some  were  men 
of  learning,  and  they  had  a  synagogue.  As  was  their  custom,  Paul 
and  Silas  went  thither  on  the  first  Sabbath,  and  spoke  to  their 
countrymen,  telling  them  of  Jesus,  and  proving  from  the  Bible 
that  He  was  indeed  the  Christ  of  whom  the  prophets  wrote. 
And  Paul  was  much  pleased  with  the  way  they  listened  to  him. 
Taking  out  the  brown  rolls  of  Scripture  from  the  box  behind 
the  blue  curtain  and  the  ever-burning  lamp,  they  turned  to  the 
passages,  and  followed  them  with  their  finger,  and  talked  with 
him  in  a  friendly  way  over  the  wonderful  news  he  brought.  He 
argued  of  faith  in  Jesus  and  the  new  gospel ;  and  this  is  part  of 
what  he  afterwards  wrote  : — 

"  We  know  that  what  is  said  in  the  Jewish  law  is  spoken  to 
Jews  who  are  bound  under  the  law.  But  no  man,  by  keeping  the 
law,  can  make  himself  just  before  God  :  for  through  it  comes 
the  knowledge  of  sin.  But  righteousness  which  is  of  God  has 
been  made  known  apart  from  this  law,  spoken  of  in  the  Bible ; 
the  righteousness  of  God,  to  all  men  who  believe  through  faith 
in  Jesus  the  Christ.  There  is  no  distinction  among  men :  for  all 
have  sinned,  and  fallen  short  of  the  glory  of  God ;  but  may  be 
saved  by  His  grace,  through  the  redeeming  power  that  is  in  Jesus 
the  Christ.  Him  God  sent,  to  save  us  by  His  life  and  death.  How, 
then,  can  a  man  glory  in  his  own  good  deeds  1  Such  glorying  is 
shut  out,  not  by  the  law  of  works,  but  by  the  law  of  faith.  For 
we  declare  that  a  man  is  saved  by  faith  in  Jesus,  apart  altogether 
from  his  keeping  of  the  Jewish  law.  Is  God  to  be  the  God  of 
Jews  only  1  is  He  not  also  the  God  of  foreigners  ?  Yes,  of 
foreigners  also ;  for  there  is  but  one  God,  and  by  faith  He  saves 
both  Jews  and  strangers.  Do  we  then  make  the  Jewish  law  of  no 
effect  through  this  faith  ?     God  forbid  :  for  we  establish  it." 

After  patient  listening  and  searching  of  the  Bible,  a  good 
many  of  the  Jews  believed  that  Jesus  was  the  Christ,  and  joined 
the  Christians ;  but  others  preferred  the  old  religion,  as  they 
had  learned  it  from  the  rabbis.  Paul  also  preached  to  the  people 
of  the  city,  calling  upon  them  to  give  up  their  idols,  and  turn  to 
the  living  God  and  His  Son,  and  live  the  higher  life.  Here,  as 
at  Thessalonica,  women  of  good  families,  hearing  of  the  wonderful 
teaching,  came,  and  standing  on  the  outskirts  of  the  crowd,  cloaked 
to  hide  their  fine  clothing,  with  faces  half  hid,  listened  to  the  Jew 
in  the  brown  cloak,  telling  of  the  Galilean  who  died  for  them  upon 
the  bitter  cross,  and  calling  upon  them  to  renounce  the  shrines  of 
idols,  their  temples,  and  all  their  horrid  surroundings,  and  make 
temples  of  their  homes,  in  which  to  pray  and  serve  the  living 
God.    And  these  women  went  away  with  hearts  raised  and  minds 


CLOUDY   MOUNT    OLYMPUS.  275 

chastened,  resolved  to  join  the  Christians.  What  did  they  hear 
him  saying,  as  they  stood  in  the  shade  of  a  green  tree,  so  far 
off  that  they  could  only  catch  his  words  by  holding  their  breath 
and  keeping  their  companions  silent  1 

"  Seek  to  be  like  God,  as  beloved  children,  loving  one  another, 
even  as  Jesus  loved  you,  and  gave  Himself  for  you,  an  offering 
and  a  sacrifice,  an  incense  of  a  sweet  smell  to  God.  See  that  un- 
faithfulness, and  impurity,  and  greed  are  not  even  named  among  you, 
as  becomes  Christians ;  nor  bad  talking  and  foolish  jesting,  which 
are  not  becoming  :  but  rather  let  there  be  giving  of  thanks.  For 
this  you  must  know  as  a  certainty,  that  no  unfaithful  or  impure 
person,  or  covetous  one,  who  worships  an  idol,  can  have  any 
share  in  the  kingdom  of  God  and  of  Jesus.  Let  no  person  deceive 
you  with  empty  words :  for  because  of  these  things  the  wrath  of 
God  comes  upon  disobedient  men." 

The  ladies  of  Berea  might  well  listen  to  the  two  strangers  who 
stood  at  the  street  corners  and  in  the  market,  calling  upon  the 
people  to  turn  away  from  the  degrading  practices  of  idol-worship, 
and  live  lives  of  temperance  and  self-denial ;  for  many  of  them  had 
seen  their  sons,  brothers,  and  husbands  taken  from  their  arms 
and  ruined  by  these  temple  customs,  in  which  good  women  had 
no  part. 

A  number  of  the  men  of  the  town  also  joined  the  Christians, 
and  Paul's  success  did  not  fill  the  synagogue  Jews  with  envy  and 
hatred,  for  they  were  more  noble  than  the  Jews  of  Thessalonica. 
If  the  people  would  not  give  up  their  idols,  and  worship  God  after 
the  manner  of  their  synagogue,  they  were  not  sorry  to  see  Paul 
and  Silas  getting  them  to  do  so  through  believing  on  Jesus  as  the 
Christ,  and  so  they  remained  friends. 


Cloudy  Mount  Olympus. 

DIUM  :    AGED  50-60. 

IT  was  summer,  with  great  heat  in  the  narrow  streets  of  the 
town,  and  merchants  with  their  camels  were  busy  along  all  the 
roads,  carrying  their  goods  from  place  to  place,  and  taking  news 
also.  And  Paul  remained  there,  for  the  number  of  the  Christians 
was  increasing  every  day.  Jews  were  the  peddlers  wherever  they 
lived,  going  from  village  to  village,  and  town  to  town,  and 
door  to  door,  sometimes  with  a  basket  of  wares  on  their  arm, 
sometimes  with  an  ass  laden  with  all  kinds  of  small   things  in 


276  CLOUDY    MOUNT   OLYMPUS. 

panniers ;  so  that  it  is  easy  to  see  how  the  Jews  of  Thessalonica  got 
to  know  of  the  friendship  between  Paul  and  the  Jews  of  Berea, 
and  of  his  great  success.  Men  who  could  pay  low  ruffians  in  their 
own  city  to  get  up  a  riot  against  him  could  pursue  him. 

Like  the  Jews  of  Iconium  two  years  ago,  they  rode  over  to 
Berea,  and  scolded  their  countrymen  for  allowing  Paul  to  teach, 
telling  them  how  they  had  got  him  driven  out  of  Thessalonica ; 
and  they  went  into  the  market-place,  and  roused  the  people  with 
loud  speeches  against  him.  These  two  strangers,  they  said,  were 
turning  the  whole  world  upside  down,  putting  up  Jesus  as  King 
instead  of  the  Eoman  emperor.  They  told  how  he  was  put 
out  of  other  towns,  and  had  come  to  trouble  them  next  with 
his  false  teaching.  The  people  listened  to  these  Jews  whom 
they  knew,  with  their  fierce  accusation  against  the  two  quiet  men, 
and  they  were  stirred  up  by  their  exciting  harangues. 

It  was  growing  dangerous  to  remain,  and  Paul's  friends 
thought  it  best  that  he  should  leave  before  there  was  any  rioting, 
and  he  was  ready  to  go.  Jason  and  his  friends  of  Thessalonica 
had  been  severely  punished  on  his  account,  and  he  did  not  wish 
any  one  in  Berea  to  suffer,  and  his  work  was  done.  He  had 
formed  a  congregation  of  Christians  who  could  take  care  of  them- 
selves, and  Silas  and  Timothy,  who  had  joined  him  again,  could 
safely  remain  behind. 

The  men  of  Berea  said  they  would  bring  him  in  safety  to  the 
seaside,  where  he  could  get  a  boat  to  take  him  whither  he  wished ; 
and  bidding  farewell  to  his  friends,  he  rode  out  of  the  town. 
Once  more  he  was  flying  from  the  bitter  hatred  of  his  own  country- 
men— hated  because  he  preached  that  foreigners  could  worship 
God,  and  be  saved  through  faith  in  Jesus.  His  persecutions 
twenty  years  ago  were  being  visited  upon  his  head,  for,  wherever 
he  went,  his  chief  enemies  were  his  own  countrymen  and  former 
friends. 

Dium,  to  which  they  were  going,  was  two  days'  ride,  on  the 
shore  of  the  gulf  opposite  to  Thessalonica.  Mount  Olympus,  with 
patches  of  light  trees,  belts  of  green  pine,  and  rocks  shining  in 
the  sun,  was  close  behind.  On  its  broad,  table-like  head  was 
the  fabled  floor  of  Homer's  star-lit  chamber  of  the  Greek  idols, 
carpeted  with  dazzling  snow,  curtained  with  luminous  clouds — 
those  clouds  of  fire  that  knew  not  the  sweep  of  an  angel's  wing, 
snows  that  felt  not  the  print  of  rosy  feet,  whatever  priests  might 
say  or  poets  sing. 

Biding  down  the  glens  from  the  distant  hills  to  the  strip  of 
plain  by  the  sea,  again  Paul  heard  the  beat  and  murmur  of  waves 
upon  the  shore,  and  smelt  the  savour  of  the  sea,  as  he  waited  for 


CLOUDY    MOUNT   OLYMPUS.  277 

a  boat  to  carry  him  hence.  He  had  crossed  Macedonia :  whither 
would  he  turn  1  He  looked  among  the  boats  in  the  harbour  at  the 
mouth  of  the  small  river,  where  he  could  get  a  passage  to  many 
places.  He  wished  to  go  back  to  Thessalonica,  but  dared  not 
venture  yet.  There  was  a  boat  going  to  Athens,  and  he  decided 
to  go  thither ;  and  some  of  his  friends  said  they  would  go  too,  for 
they  thought  he  would  soon  return.  Athens  was  two  hundred 
and  fifty  miles  away,  and  it  would  take  more  than  a  week  to 
go ;  but  it  was  outside  Macedonia,  in  the  province  of  Achaia,  and 
he  would  be  safe.  He  would  not  part  from  the  men  who  had 
come  down  with  him  from  the  hills  without  a  word  of  strengthen- 
ing and  encouragement. 

"  In  later  days  grievous  times  will  come.  Men  will  be  lovers 
of  self  and  of  money,  boasters,  fierce,  quarrelsome,  disobedient  to 
their  parents,  ungrateful,  without  affection,  slanderers,  traitors, 
without  self-control,  proud,  headstrong,  haters  of  good,  and  lovers 
of  pleasure  rather  than  lovers  of  God;  keeping  up  a  form  of 
Christianity,  but  denying  the  spirit  of  it.  From  men  like  these 
turn  away ;  for  they  creep  into  houses,  and  take  women  captive, 
and  are  never  able  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth.  These 
men  of  corrupt  mind  resist  the  truth,  and  have  no  faith  in  Jesus. 
They  shall  go  no  further :  for  their  folly  shall  be  seen  of  all  men. 
But  you  have  followed  my  teaching,  conduct,  and  purpose,  my 
faith,  long-suffering,  patience,  and  love  in  persecutions,  like  what 
I  endured  at  Antioch,  Iconium,  and  Lystra  :  and  God  has  delivered 
me  out  of  them  all.  They  who  would  live  godly  in  Jesus  the 
Christ  must  bear  persecutions ;  but  bad  men  and  impostors  shall 
grow  worse  and  worse,  deceiving  others,  and  being  deceived  them- 
selves. But  stand  you  in  the  things  which  you  have  learned  and 
been  made  sure  of,  knowing  from  whom  you  have  learned  them." 

Soon  he  was  again  in  a  ship  with  companions,  but  not  Silas 
or  Timothy;  sailing  away  from  the  province  in  which  he  was 
called  to  teach ;  going  to  Athens,  not  to  teach,  but  to  shelter  for 
a  time,  and  return  to  Macedonia  again.  And  as  they  sailed  into 
the  blue  gulf,  the  huge  shape  of  Mount  Olympus  came  out  above 
the  ""other  hills;  but  it  had  no  mystic  spell  or  poetic  charm  for 
the  Jew  in  the  brown  cloak  and  striped  kerchief,  who  looked 
calmly  at  it  from  the  shadow  of  the  broad  yellow  sail.  Homer's 
tales  about  the  lives  of  the  Greek  idols  among  the  white  clouds 
were  much  more  than  old  wives'  fables  to  him  :  they  were  false, 
idolatrous,  and  wicked,  weaving  the  glittering  robe  of  romance 
and  loveliness  round  untruths,  to  the  deceiving  of  the  people. 
Having  lived  among  the  scholars  and  the  colleges  of  Tarsus,  he 
would  know  of  Homer  and  the  Greek   tales;   and  having  been 


278  THE    FLASH    OF    MINER VA'S    HELMET. 

trained  in  Jerusalem,  where  to  make  a  statue  of  a  man  was  to 
dishonour  God,  he  hated  all  idols,  and  blamed  all  who  worshipped 
or  praised  them.  And  so,  whatever  the  caj^tain  might  say  about 
Jove  or  Neptune  helping  their  voyage,  it  was  with  no  feelings  of 
awe  or  superstition  that  Paul  turned  his  eyes  away  from  the 
mountain  of  fleecy  clouds  to  the  blue  waves  dancing  round 
them. 


The  Flash  of  Minerva's  Helmet. 

DIUM  :    AGED    50-60. 

PAUL  was  at  home  in  a  boat,  for  he  belonged  to  a  seaport,  and 
the  whistling  wind  and  rising  waves  filled  him  with  no 
alarm,  but  with  the  buoyant  spirits  of  one  accustomed  to  the 
sea.  With  a  fair  wind  from  the  north,  making  the  huge  sail  creak 
and  strain  upon  the  mast,  and  the  waves  race  behind  them,  the 
voyage  to  Athens  would  not  be  a  long  one.  In  summer  the  heat 
on  the  deck  of  the  unshaded  vessel  would  be  intense,  as  the  fierce 
sun  beat  on  them  out  of  a  pale-blue  sky.  Sailing  down  the  Gulf 
of  Thessalonica,  they  were  close  to  the  western  shore,  with 
mountains  along  the  sea-coast — cloudy  Olympus,  Ossa,  Pelion,  all 
famous  in  Greek  poetry.  To  the  eastward,  as  they  passed  out  of 
the  gulf,  they  saw  again  over  the  tossing  waves  the  purple  peak 
of  Mount  Athos,  which  seemed  as  if  it  could  never  be  hidden. 

The  captains  of  those  boats  with  the  white  eye  on  the  bow 
were  always  superstitious,  and  did  not  care  to  sail  at  night ;  so 
that  they  would  run  in  and  anchor  in  a  bay,  and  then  spreading 
their  mats  on  the  deck,  sleep,  wrapped  in  their  travelling  cloaks, 
with  the  wind  blowing  round  them,  and  the  sound  of  lapping 
waves  to  rock  them  to  rest. 

On  the  second  day  they  would  be  among  the  Thessalian  islands  ; 
and  passing  in  between  the  long  island  of  Negropont  and  the 
shore  of  Thessaly,  they  were  in  sheltered  water,  with  beauti- 
ful scenery  on  each  side,  and  no  apparent  way  out.  In  front 
were  the  hills  about  the  pass  of  Thermopylae,  called  the  Hot 
Gates,  between  a  hill  and  a  morass,  and  the  most  famous  battle- 
field in  all  Greece  ;  for  at  that  place,  five  hundred  years  ago, 
three  hundred  Greeks  kept  back  the  whole  Persian  army.  If  the 
captain  was  a  Greek,  Paul  would  not  fail  to  hear  of  it ;  for  they 
never  tired  of  speaking  of  that  great  fight,  of  which  their  historian 
Herodotus  wrote  the  story  in  a  book  that  has  come  down  to 
US.     At  the  end  of  this  narrow  strait  there  is  a  small  opening, 


THE    FLASH    OF    MINER VA'S   HELMET.  279 

disclosing  a  beautiful  inland  sea  stretching  for  fifty  miles  along  the 
picturesque  shores  of  Attica,  the  province  of  Athens.  Mountains 
belted  with  green  woods  were  on  each  side,  and  the  white  walls 
of  villages  and  towns  on  the  shore  showed  that  the  country  was 
full  of  people ;  for  they  were  sailing  into  the  heart  of  Greece,  the 
most  refined  nation  in  the  world. 

At  the  end  of  this  smiling  sea  there  was  another  open- 
ing, with  highlands  on  each  side,  through  which  they  sailed  into 
another  inland  sea,  with  islands  scattered  over  it ;  and  soon  they 
were  passing  the  field  of  Marathon,  high  up  among  the  mountains 
of  the  mainland,  where,  hundreds  of  years  before,  the  men  of 
Athens  came  out  to  fight  the  invading  Persians,  in  a  battle  of 
which  the  Greeks  speak  to  this  day.  The  sea  was  now  open 
towards  the  golden  south,  studded  with  the  fruitful  islands  of  the 
Cyclades,  of  every  shape  and  size,  tint  and  hue,  from  the  rich 
brown  of  the  nearer  isles  to  the  purple  and  gleaming  pearl  of 
those  that  like  clouds  dotted  the  hazy,  dazzling  tract  of  blue.  But 
not  in  silence  did  Paul  gaze  from  day  to  day  upon  those  ever- 
changing  scenes  of  sunshine.  At  his  loom  or  in  the  boat  he  had 
a  message,  and  we  can  picture  his  companions  listening  to  words 
like  these : — 

"  This  treasure  we  have  as  in  jars  of  clay,  that  the  exceeding 
greatness  of  the  power  of  God  may  be  seen  to  be  of  Him,  and  not 
of  us.  Crushed  on  every  side,  yet  not  broken ;  perplexed,  but  not 
in  despair;  pursued,  but  not  overtaken;  struck  down,  but  not 
destroyed ;  we  do  always  bear  about  in  our  bodies  the  marks  of 
the  death  of  Jesus,  that  His  life  may  be  shown  forth  in  us.  For 
we  who  live  are  always  being  exposed  to  death  for  His  sake,  that 
the  life  of  Jesus  may  be  shown  forth  in  us.  Thus  while  death 
works  in  us,  it  is  life  to  you.  But  we  have  the  same  spirit  of 
faith  that  is  written  of  in  the  Psalms :  I  believed,  and  therefore  I 
spoke.  We  also  believe,  and  so  we  also  speak ;  knowing  that 
God,  who  raised  up  Jesus,  will  raise  us  up  with  Him,  and  pre- 
sent us  with  you.  For  all  these  things  are  for  your  sakes,  that 
grace  being  multiplied  through  so  many,  may  cause  thanks  to 
abound  to  the  glory  of  God. 

"And  we  do  not  faint;  for  although  our  bodies  fail,  our 
spirit  is  renewed  day  by  day.  These  light  afflictions,  which  are 
but  for  a  moment,  work  more  and  more  for  our  everlasting  glory. 
And  so  we  look  not  at  the  things  which  are  seen,  but  at  the  things 
which  are  not  seen  :  for  the  things  which  are  seen  are  passing 
away,  but  the  things  which  are  not  seen  are  for  evermore." 

When  the  captain  saw  high  upon  the  hill  the  white  temple  of 
Minerva,  he  knew  it  was  Cape  Sunium,  and  that  it  was  time  to 


280  BRONZE    STATUES    AND    WHITE    TEMPLES. 

steer  round  the  high  headland  ;  for  they  had  reached  the  south 
end  of  Attica,  and  then  the  little  wooden  figure  on  the  bow  of  the 
boat  was  pointing  into  the  beautiful  gulf  of  Athens.  Before  them 
were  the  hills  of  the  far-famed  island  of  ^gina  ;  behind  it,  Salamis, 
bare  and  rocky  ;  and  beyond,  the  Morean  mountains.  But  Athens, 
the  pearl  of  cities,  was  still  hidden  among  purple  hills  to  the  right ; 
and  over  ^gina,  with  its  sunny  cliffs  in  the  sparkling  water, 
w^ere  the  blue  hills  about  the  great  city  of  Corinth,  not  thirty 
miles  distant. 

Standing  on  the  raised  peak  of  the  boat,  Paul  and  his  com- 
panions would  strain  their  eyes  for  the  first  sight  of  the  greatest 
city  of  Greece;  and  a  cry  from  the  steersman  would  tell  them  that 
he  had  caught  the  flash  of  the  sun  upon  the  gold  helmet  of 
Minerva,  on  the  top  of  the  Acropolis.  Yonder  white  cliffs  laid 
bare  were  the  world-renowned  marble  quarries  of  Pentelicus,  with 
the  purple  background  of  the  Citherean  hills,  and  among  yonder 
dark  glens  roamed  the  famous  striped  bees  and  blue  butterflies, 
sipping  nectar  from  the  flowers  of  Hymettus.  Five  miles  up 
among  the  hills,  rising  abruptly  from  the  plain,  shone  the  white 
Acropolis  of  Athens,  with  the  city  round  it,  the  square  outline  of 
its  marble  buildings  plainly  visible  to  the  eyes  of  Paul  and  his 
companions  as  they  sailed  in  towards  the  shore. 

No  more  tossed  on  the  waves,  the  boat  swept  swiftly  into  the 
bay,  past  parks  and  villas  of  rich  citizens,  who  loved  the  sea- 
breezes.  They  could  not  see  the  city  on  the  shore  until  the  boat's 
head  was  turned  quickly  round  towards  an  entrance  so  narrow 
that  it  could  be  closed  with  a  thick  chain  stretched  between  the 
towers  on  the  ends  of  the  breakwater  ;  and  then  they  were  within 
the  great  harbour  of  Piraeus,  the  seaport  of  Athens,  and  their 
voyage  was  almost  at  an  end. 


Bronze  Statues  and  White  Temples. 

PIR^US:    AGED    50-60. 

THEY  saw  the  white  town  of  the  Piraeus,  with  temples  and 
theatres,  stores  and  warehouses,  reflected  in  the  bay ;  for  it 
was  built  out  on  a  rocky  point,  with  harbours  upon  each  side,  into 
which  flowed  the  rivers  Cephissus  and  Ilissus,  that  kept  all  the 
country  watered  and  fruitful  from  Athens  to  the  sea.  The  grain 
stores  were  the  most  important  buildings  of  the  port,  for  into 
them  were  poured  shiploads  of  wheat,  corn,  flour,  oil,  dried  fish. 


BEONZE    STATUES    AND    WHITE    TEMPLES.  281 

wine,  nuts,  preserved  fruits,  and  other  kinds  of  food  for  the 
great  city  beyond. 

The  yellow  sail  was  looped  up  to  the  tapering  yard,  and  the 
boat  was  slowly  rowed  alongside  the  quay,  and  fastened  with  ropes  to 
the  stone  poles,  where  hundreds  of  people  in  dresses  of  all  colours, 
with  hats  of  straw  and  felt  on  their  heads,  were  standing  in  the 
sunshine  watching  the  arrival  of  another  strange  boat  in  the 
harbour,  already  crowded  with  ships  of  all  kinds,  and  laughing  as 
they  talked  about  the  weather-beaten  passengers  who  came  ashore. 
The  city  wall  extended  out  to  the  horns  of  the  bay,  so  that  when 
the  chain  was  drawn  across,  they  were  safe  from  attack  by  land 
or  sea.  Although  beautiful  Athens  was  far  up  among  the  hills, 
the  people  of  that  great  city  were  so  anxious  to  keep  the  road  open 
to  the  sea  that  they  had  huge  walls  twenty  yards  high  on  each  side 
of  it,  called  the  "  Long  Walls,"  and  broad  enough  for  a  chariot  to 
ride  along  the  top,  with  towers  at  short  distances.  And  all  the  way 
from  Athens  to  the  sea  the  road  was  lined  with  houses  like  a  long 
Greek  village,  although  the  people  could  not  see  over  the  huge  walls. 

When  Paul  and  his  friends  walked  up  that  paved  way,  the 
walls  were  in  ruins,  for  their  conquerors  broke  them  down  two 
hundred  years  before,  and  country  people  built  houses  with  the 
stones,  until  only  the  foundations  remained.  They  might  well 
wish  to  preserve  their  city,  for  it  was  then,  as  it  is  still,  the  most 
beautiful  city  in  the  world,  with  the  finest  buildings  and  loveliest 
statues  that  men  have  ever  made.  Five  hundred  years  before 
Paul  was  born,  Athens  was  great ;  but  it  was  conquered  and 
plundered  by  the  Romans,  and  now  belonged  to  them. 

As  he  and  his  Berean  friends  neared  the  city,  their  eyes 
rested  upon  the  rocky  hill  of  the  Acropolis,  rising,  like  Stirling 
Castle,  in  the  midst,  with  marble  cliffs  of  stained  yellow,  whitish 
grey,  and  dull  red,  strengthened  with  white  walls,  the  top  covered 
in  every  part  with  temple  buildings.  The  largest  was  the  Par- 
thenon, the  finest  ever  built,  with  open  front  to  the  rising  sun, 
and  high  beside  it  stood  the  bronze  figure  of  Minerva,  the  work  of 
Phidias,  greatest  of  sculptors,  the  flash  of  whose  gold-tipped  crest 
could  be  seen  by  sailors  thirty  miles  at  sea.  There,  too,  was  the 
pillared  temple  of  Athena,  holding  no  snowy  statue  carved  by 
Phidias,  but  only  a  little  ugly  figure  of  olive-wood  covered  with 
lies.  For  a  thousand  years  the  people  were  taught  that  this  little 
black  doll  fell  down  from  the  skies,  and  so  they  kept  a  lamp  with 
fragrant  oil  burning  night  and  day  before  it.  And  as  Paul  looked 
up  to  these  white  temples,  and  that  woman's  figure  clothed  in 
shining  armour,  with  spear  held  aloft,  idolatry  seemed  to  over- 
spread the  city  like  a  cloud. 


282  BRONZE   STATUES   AND    WHITE    TEMPLES. 

Like  Edinburgh,  it  was  a  city  of  heiglits  and  hollows,  and  its 
finest  temples  were  upon  hills.  Irregular  streets  wound  through 
the  valleys,  lined  with  public  buildings  and  houses,  shaded  with 
green  sycamore  trees  and  the  darker  cypress.  In  the  squares  and 
gardens,  altars,  shrines,  and  statues  of  men  and  women — some 
that  had  lived,  many  that  had  never  drawn  breath — were  sculp- 
tured in  marble  of  snowy  white,  faint  rose,  deep  red  veined  with 
gold,  and  in  agate  and  porphyry,  or  in  metals  of  dull  bronze, 
gleaming  brass,  and  burnished  gold  ;  and  so  numerous  were  they 
that  people  used  to  joke  and  say  it  was  easier  to  find  a  statue 
than  a  man  in  Athens. 

Paul  had  been  in  many  cities  of  soldiers,  commerce,  learning, 
idolatry,  but  noni;  like  Athens ;  for  it  was  a  city  of  art,  literature, 
statues,  architecture,  painting,  books,  free  thought,  free  discussion, 
and  almost  free  religion — a  city  of  light,  but  not  of  the  highest. 
As  he  walked,  in  his  brown  cloak  and  sandals,  through  the  arch- 
way of  the  Piraeus  gate,  he  was  in  the  longest  street,  in  the  bottom 
of  a  rocky  valley  between  hills  thick  with  houses.  A  pillared 
colonnade  shaded  the  footpath,  and  all  the  Avay  along  were  shops 
and  stalls  against  the  walls  and  statues,  and  green  trees  next  the 
roadway.  Passing  up  and  down  in  the  sunshine  were  gentlemen 
on  horseback,  followed  by  black  attendants;  asses  and  mules 
laden  with  sacks ;  porters  carrying  bundles  and  wheeling  hand- 
barrows ;  jewelled  ladies  carried  in  shaded  litters  by  gaudily- 
dressed  household  slaves.  Dogs  ran  to  and  fro,  picking  up  what 
they  could  find,  scaring  the  bright-hued  sparrows  into  the  trees, 
while  flocks  of  grey  and  brown  doves  wheeled  into  the  air,  to  settle 
on  the  hot  temple  roofs. 

Greek  women  in  flowing  robes  of  white  or  purple,  rose-red  or 
pale-blue,  embroidered  in  rich  colours  at  neck  and  hem,  and 
drawn  through  a  silken  girdle  to  keep  them  from  the  ground, 
walked  with  red-slippered  feet  on  the  shaded  footway,  their  light 
hair  coiled  close,  and  fastened  with  gold  pins.  Men  with  close- 
cut  hair,  wearing  tunic  and  cloak  of  deeper  hue,  walked  beside 
them,  with  slaves  behind.  The  poorer  people  had  no  white  cloth- 
ing or  fine  colours,  only  short  coarse  tunics  of  blue  and  brown, 
with  arms  and  legs  bare,  but  smiling,  cheerful,  and  perhaps  happy; 
many  of  them  were  going  to  the  market-place,  a  little  farther  on, 
at  the  bronze  statue  of  Mercury,  where  streets  met.  There,  amid 
the  noise  of  many  voices,  and  the  shuffling  of  feet  over  the  stones, 
he  saw  the  townspeople  going  out  and  in  among  the  wooden 
booths,  and  the  yellow  tent-shades  where  the  shopkeepers  were 
showing  their  wares.  Among  them  were  the  voices  of  girls, 
holding   out  bunches  of  white  and  golden  lilies,   crimson  roses, 


ALONE    IN    ATHENS.  283 

sweet  violets,  and  ivy  sprays,  trying  to  get  the  people  to  buy 
them  to  make  their  homes  fresh  and  beautiful.  There  were  Jews 
in  plenty,  easily  known  from  the  fair  Greeks  by  their  long  black 
hair,  dark  eyes,  and  deep  ruddy  cheeks — countrymen  of  his  own, 
who  were  always  found  where  buying  and  selling  was  going  on. 
And  Paul  made  himself  known  to  them,  and  was  taken  to  the 
part  of  the  city  where  they  dwelt,  and  there  he  found  a  lodging 
near  the  synagogue. 

Having  brought  him  safely  to  Athens,  his  Berean  friends,  in 
their  kilts  and  jackets,  left  him  to  return  home ;  and  he  gave  them 
an  urgent  message  to  Silas  and  Timothy,  that  they  were  to  join 
him  in  Athens  without  delay.  What  this  message  meant  we  do 
not  know,  for  he  was  eager  to  get  back  to  Thessalonica  and 
Philippi.  Perhaps  the  great  city  filled  his  mind  with  the  idea 
that  with  their  help  he  could  plant  a  congregation  of  Christians  in 
the  heart  of  Athens,  the  mother  of  Greece. 


Alone   in   Athens. 

ATHENS  :    AGED    50-60. 

FOR  three  weeks  of  golden  autumn  Paul  was  alone  in  beautiful 
Athens,  and  he  was  not  happy.  How  could  he  be,  in  that 
city  of  temples,  altars,  and  statues,  however  lovely?  He  cared 
for  men,  not  stones.  These  temples  were  of  idols,  and  should  be 
scattered  in  the  dust.  These  altars  for  offerings  by  the  wayside 
should  be  broken  down.  These  statues  were  images  dishonouring 
to  God,  and  should  be  hewn  in  pieces,  ground  to  powder,  burned 
with  fire  ! 

On  the  first  Sabbath  he  went  as  usual  with  his  countrymen  to 
the  dim  synagogue  with  the  star-like  lamp  and  purple  curtain  to 
preach  the  new  gospel  first  to  them.  And  while  they  listened — 
the  men  on  mats  on  the  floor,  the  women  behind  the  screen — he 
told  them  of  Jesus  the  promised  Christ  in  the  Bible,  and  repeated 
passages  of  the  Bible,  and  argued.  We  do  not  know  what  he  said, 
but  this  is  what  he  afterwards  wrote  : — 

"  You  will  say  to  me.  Why  does  God  find  fault  1  for  who  can 
resist  His  will  1  But  who  art  you,  O  man,  to  reply  against  the 
justice  of  Godi  Shall  the  thing  made  say  to  the  maker,  Why  did 
you  make  me  so  ?  Has  not  the  potter  a  right  over  the  clay,  from 
the  same  piece  to  make  a  fine  dish  and  a  common  one  ?  He  has 
called  His  people,  not  from  the  Jews  only,  but  also  from  foreigners* 


284  ALONE    IN    ATHENS. 

Hosea  said,  I  will  call  them  mine  who  were  not  ray  people ;  and 
call  her  beloved  who  was  not  loved.  And  they  who  were  told 
they  were  not  my  people  shall  be  called  sons  of  the  living  God. 
And  Isaiah  said,  If  the  Jews  were  as  many  as  the  sands  of 
the  sea,  a  part  only  shall  be  saved.  For  God  will  carry  out 
His  work,  and  finish  it.  And  so  foreigners,  who  did  not  seek 
righteousness  by  keeping  the  Jewish  law,  have  found  righteous- 
ness by  faith  in  Jesus ;  and  Jews,  striving  after  righteousness 
according  to  their  law,  have  failed  to  reach  it.  And  why? 
Because  they  sought  it  not  through  Jesus,  but  through  their 
law,  stumbling  at  Jesus  the  Christ,  as  over  a  stone.  Isaiah 
wrote  of  Him,  Behold,  I  lay  in  Zion  a  stone  of  stumbling,  a 
rock  of  offence;  but  whoever  believes  on  Him  shall  not  be  put 
to  shame." 

While  we  do  not  read  that  these  Jews  of  Athens  disputed 
with  him,  or  were  rude,  neither  do  we  read  that  he  was  able  to 
win  any  of  them  to  his  side.  This  was  discouraging ;  but  every 
day  with  Paul  was  a  thing  to  be  accounted  for,  and  he  gave  up 
speaking  in  the  synagogue,  and  turned  to  the  people  of  the  city. 
All  the  educated  men  believed  in  one  philosophy  or  another,  and 
their  teachers  had  greater  influence  than  the  priests,  for  they  en- 
couraged them  to  think,  and  talk,  and  argue — three  good  things 
— and  often  to  live  higher  lives ;  and  the  people  liked  to  hear 
about  new  kinds  of  religion  and  philosophy,  and  to  talk  about 
them  in  their  houses  and  shops,  their  streets,  markets,  and  meeting- 
places. 

When  we  remember  that,  long  before  Paul  came  to  Athens, 
Socrates  used  to  go  to  the  market,  at  the  foot  of  the  Acropolis 
rock,  and  teach  the  people  by  talking  with  them  ;  that  Plato  taught 
all  free  who  cared  to  come ;  that  Demosthenes  spoke  in  the  open 
air,  in  the  people's  meeting-place  on  the  Pnyx  hill;  and  that 
^schylus  had  his  plays  performed  in  the  theatre  of  Dionysius, 
before  thousands  of  people,  on  marble  seats,  under  the  yellow 
awnings,  we  can  understand  that  the  people  of  Athens  were  re- 
fined, clever,  and  educated  beyond  any  that  Paul  had  yet  met. 

With  his  brown  cloak  hanging  loose  from  his  shoulders, 
showing  the  grey  tunic  within,  with  leather  sandals  and  stout 
oak  stick,  his  bronzed  face  shaded  by  the  striped  kerchief,  that 
hid  his  black  hair  and  kept  the  sun  out  of  his  piercing  eyes, 
all  who  saw  him  knew  he  was  a  Jew  as  he  walked  through  the 
streets  and  markets.  The  flower-girls,  with  broad  hats  decked 
with  bright  ribbons,  smiled  as  they  held  out  a  flower  from  their 
basket  of  roses.  The  strong,  black  slaves,  who  shouted  and 
cleared  the  way  for  their  scented  and  jewelled  masters,  frowned 


ALONE    IN    ATHENS.  285 

as  they  thrust  him  off  the  footpath.  And  nurses  caught  their 
little  fair-haired  children  and  turned  them  away,  lest  the  Jew 
should  harm  them  with  his  glance. 

These  things  mattered  not  to  the  lonely  man.  He  did  not 
notice  them.  But  his  grey  eyes  glowed  as  he  looked  around  him, 
not  at  the  people — for  he  loved  them — but  at  idolatry  everywhere. 
In  the  market-places,  edging  the  street  footpaths,  in  retired  squares 
shaded  with  trees,  in  gardens  bright  with  flowers,  were  altars, 
groves,  shrines !  Upon  the  public  buildings,  and  on  house  walls, 
wherever  his  eye  turned,  were  single  figures  and  groups  of  men 
and  beasts  in  stone.      The  city  was  full  of  idols. 

His  heart  melted  with  pity  when  women  held  rosy  children 
up  to  an  idol  on  the  street,  or  laid  their  household  gifts  upon  the 
altars  by  the  wayside.  He  was  taught  when  a  boy  to  hate  a 
graven  image,  but  since  then  he  had  learned  to  pity  those  who 
bowed  the  knee  to  them,  and  not  to  the  living  God.  If  his  arm 
were  mighty  enough,  he  would  sweep  those  images  from  their 
rocks  into  the  sea,  and  leave  Athens  purified  and,  like  Jerusalem, 
without  a  statue  of  man  or  woman.  But  he  had  learned  since 
boyhood  that  idols  were  to  be  broken  down  and  rolled  in  the 
dust,  not  by  the  hammers  of  strangers,  but  by  the  hands  that 
reared  them,  through  the  light  of  the  living  God  poured  in 
upon  their  darkened  minds. 

And  so  he  spoke  in  the  markets,  where  the  people  crowded 
among  the  booths  and  stalls.  We  are  not  told  what  he  said,  but 
this  is  from  one  of  his  letters  to  the  men  of  Corinth  : — 

"  If  I  could  speak  in  all  the  languages  of  men  or  angels,  and 
have  not  love,  I  am  but  a  sounding  gong,  or  a  tinkling  cymbal. 
If  I  know  all  mysteries  and  knowledge,  and  have  faith  that 
could  move  mountains,  and  have  not  love,  I  am  nothing.  If 
I  give  all  that  I  have  to  feed  the  poor,  and  give  my  body  to 
be  burned,  and  have  not  love,  it  profits  me  nothing.  Love 
suffers  long,  and  is  kind;  love  envies  not;  love  boasts  not,  is 
not  proud,  does  not  behave  unseemly,  does  not  seek  its  own,  is 
not  made  angry,  takes  no  notice  of  injuries,  takes  no  joy  in 
unrighteousness,  but  rejoices  in  the  truth.  Love  bears  all  things, 
believes  all  things,  hopes  all  things,  endures  all  things.  Pro- 
phecies and  knowledge  shall  pass  away,  and  language  shall 
cease ;  but  love  never  fails.  We  know  in  part,  and  foretell  in 
part ;  but  when  the  whole  comes,  the  parts  are  done  away.  When 
I  was  a  child,  I  spoke,  and  felt,  and  thought  as  a  child  :  but  when 
I  became  a  man,  I  put  away  childish  things.  Now  we  see  as  in  a 
mirror  darkly ;  but  then  we  shall  see  face  to  face  :  I  know  only  in 
part  now ;  but  then  I  shall  know  the  whole,  even  as  I  am  known. 


286  THE    SUN-DIAL   OF    ANDRONICUS. 

There  remain  faith,  hope,  and  love,  these  three ;  and  the  greatest 
of  them  is  love." 

Paul  was  a  scholar  and  a  student,  proud  of  having  been  born 
in  a  city  of  famous  colleges.  Zeno,  the  philosopher  and  founder 
of  the  Greek  Stoics,  had  lived  in  Tarsus.  And  while  Paul 
despised  the  learning  of  foreigners,  he  would  take  a  scholar's 
interest  in  seeing  the  places  where  the  vain  philosophy  of  the 
Greeks  had  been  taught  for  centuries. 

A  little  way  outside  the  city  walls,  where  the  Ilissus  flowed 
past  the  foot  of  Mount  Hymettus,  its  banks  green  with  plane 
trees,  was  the  grove  of  the  Lyceum,  where  Aristotle  and  his 
disciples  once  walked  and  taught  tlieir  scholars.  Upon  the  other 
side  of  the  city,  where  the  Cephissus  flowed  through  woods  of 
silver-grey  olives  and  green  bay  trees,  and  nightingales  sang  as 
night  dropped  her  purple  mantle  over  the  hills,  was  the  Academy, 
where  Plato  used  to  teach.  And  yonder  was  the  luxurious  garden 
where  the  Epicureans  used  to  meet  daily  and  talk  about  the  joys  of 
life.  These  men  did  not  preach  ;  all  was  conversation  and  talk.  If 
Paul  looked  towards  these  places,  familiar  to  all  scholars  who  knew 
the  Greek  language,  Greek  worship,  and  Greek  ways,  he  would 
not  go  thither,  for  he  was  not  curious  to  inquire  closely  what 
had  been  said  that  so  interested  mankind.  It  was  enough  that 
they  did  not  worship  God. 

Day  after  day,  week  after  week,  as  he  went  through  the  city, 
he  would  see,  in  the  street  of  the  Mercuries,  a  square  marble  pillar 
before  every  house  door,  with  a  figure  of  the  flying  boy  upon  it, 
and  with  mottoes  carved  in  Greek,  and  would  read  words  like 
these,  for  he  read  as  he  went — "  Presented  by  Hippicus.  Go  on, 
and  think  no  evil."  Or  this — ■"  Presented  by  Hippicus.  Never 
betray  a  friend."  He  read  many  more,  cut  on  the  blocks  to 
please  the  men  who  had  put  them  up,  for  the  street  was  lined 
with  them  from  end  to  end.  In  Tripod  Street  he  saw  each  side 
lined  with  beautiful  tables  or  bowls,  of  different  designs,  supported 
on  three  legs,  some  of  bronze,  others  of  coloured  stones,  the  prizes 
won  by  young  men  in  the  public  games,  and  presented  to  that 
street,  down  which  people  went  to  look  at  them  and  read  the 
names  of  the  winners. 


o 


The  Sun=dial  of  Andronicus. 

ATHENS:    AGED    50-60. 

N  a  hill  to  the  north  of  the  Acropolis  was  the  magnificent 
temple  of  Theseus,  with  its  thirty  gigantic  pillars,  some  of 


THE    SUN-DIAL   OF    ANDRONICUS.  287 

which  are  standing  still — no  longer  white  and  dazzling,  as  Paul 
saw  them,  but  yellow  with  age.  And  not  far  from  it  is 
the  strange  clock  tower,  called  tlie  Temple  of  the  Winds,  that 
gave  the  time  and  the  wind  to  Athens,  having  a  small  bronze  man 
turning  round  on  the  top,  with  a  switch  in  his  hand,  to  show  the 
way  of  the  wind,  and  a  large  sun-dial,  to  tell  the  time  from  the 
sun.  Inside  there  was  a  water-clock  that  dropped  little  drops  of 
water  night  and  day — another  way  of  telling  the  hours.  And 
Paul  would  see  the  time  on  that  sun-dial,  as  Plato  saw  it  before 
him,  and  as  you  may  see  it  to-day. 

If  he  tried  to  count  them,  he  would  find  temples  to  Victory, 
Minerva,  Diana,  War,  and  many  more,  with  shrines  and  altars  to 
Fame,  Pity,  Modesty,  Yenus,  the  Earth.  As  he  walked,  he  read 
the  names  and  inscriptions  on  them ;  and  the  writing  on  one 
of  the  altars  sank  deep  into  his  heart,  and  gave  him  hope,  as  you 
will  afterwards  hear.  He  would  not  think  of  counting  the  statues 
in  the  streets  and  on  the  buildings,  for  there  were  over  three 
thousand  of  them.  The  strangest  of  them  all  to  him  would  be 
the  statue  of  the  Jew  Hyrcanus,  in  the  full  dress  of  a  Jewish 
high  priest ;  while  not  far  away  was  the  statue  of  the  Jewish 
princess  Bernice,  before  whom  he  would  one  day  stand  pleading 
for  liberty. 

As  he  walked  under  the  great  ornamental  archway  that  still 
marks  the  entrance  to  the  market-place,  and  went  round  the 
wide  space,  he  saw  pillared  porticoes  set  apart  for  the  millers,  fish- 
dealers,  tailors,  confectioners,  dish -sellers,  cheesemongers,  fruit 
merchants,  ladies'  dressmakers,  and  even  booksellers,  and  the 
place  where  slaves  were  sold  to  the  highest  bidder.  There,  too, 
were  more  altars  and  statues ;  and  as  he  read  the  names  of  Solon 
the  lawyer,  Conon  the  sailor,  Demosthenes  the  orator,  and  many 
others,  and  looked  at  their  figures  in  white  marble  and  dull  bronze, 
standing  amid  the  green  trees,  he  would  feel  that  the  memories 
of  great  men  were  around  him,  although  an  altar  to  twelve  idols 
occupied  the  central  place.  If  he  followed  the  crowd  streaming 
eastward  upon  a  holiday,  he  would  see  the  racecourse,  with  rows 
of  marble  seats  packed  with  ten  thousand  shouting  people,  in 
tunics  of  every  shade  and  hue,  but  oftenest  of  undyed  yellow, 
waving  handkerchiefs  and  ribbons  to  the  charioteers  driving  three 
horses,  with  thundering  feet  and  flying  wheels,  that  threw  up  the 
sand,  as  they  cracked  their  long  whips  and  galloped  round  the 
course.  Or  he  would  see  the  huge  circle  of  the  open  theatre, 
crowded  with  men  and  women  in  blue  and  yellow — the  gentle- 
men with  gold  rings  on  their  hands,  the  ladies  with  pearls  in 
their  hair — listening  in  the  cool  of  early  morning  to  the  clear 


288  SPEAKING   IN   THE    PAINTED    PORCH. 

voices  of  graceful  youths  who  recited  passages  of  Greek  poetry, 
amid  sighs  and  tears  and  bursts  of  laughter. 

In  their  temples  and  their  circuses  he  saw  the  religion  and 
the  amusements  of  the  people,  and  as  he  passed  the  Cave  of  the 
Furies  he  saw  their  superstition ;  for  in  a  chasm  in  the  rocky  hill 
opposite  to  the  Areopagus — little  better  than  a  dark  hole  with  a 
bubbling  spring — it  was  believed  the  Furies  dwelt,  and  no  one 
might  go  near  the  spot,  on  pain  of  death.  But  across  the  city 
there  was  something  sweeter  and  truer;  for  lying  low  between 
Olympia  (where  the  gladiators  fought)  and  the  river  Ilissus  there 
was  a  little  well  of  clear  water,  the  very  purest  in  Athens,  with 
the  pretty  name  of  Callirhoe,  which  has  come  down  to  us.  In 
very  early  days  it  was  said  that  brides  used  to  enjoy  bathing 
there  in  the  hot  sunshine,  which  is  perhaps  true ;  but  there  is 
no  doubt  that  in  later  years,  its  sweet  waters,  when  conducted 
through  the  city  in  nine  thick  pipes,  gladdened  many  a  home.  In 
the  open  theatre  on  yonder  hill  of  Pnyx,  Demosthenes,  Pericles, 
and  Solon  used  to  address  the  people  of  the  city,  in  great  and  silent 
meetings.     "Would  he  ever  speak  there  ? 

While  he  waited  on  from  week  to  week,  his  ruddy-cheeked 
friend  Timothy  and  Silas  arrived  at  the  seaport,  and  came  up 
to  the  city  to  find  him.  Their  news  was  not  cheering.  Timothy 
had  come  from  Thessalonica,  where  the  synagogue  Jews  were 
persecuting  the  Christians  for  their  religion.  Silas  was  from 
Berea,  and  their  message  was  that  Paul  must  not  yet  return  to 
Macedonia.  Luke  was  still  at  Philippi.  They  would  go  back 
to  their  work  in  Thessalonica  and  Philippi,  and  he  must  wait 
in  Athens  until  they  returned  for  him.  And  so  they  left  the 
city  and  sailed  away,  the  bearers  of  an  urgent  message  to  the 
Thessalonians ;  and  again  Paul  was  left  alone. 


Speaking  in  the   Painted   Porch. 

ATHENS  :    AGED    50-60. 

IN  his  wanderings  through  the  streets  of  the  city  of  white  marble 
and  blue  skies,  Paul  found  that  the  market  in  the  hollow  at 
the  foot  of  the  rocky  Acropolis  was  the  place  to  which  men  came 
who  wished  to  teach  the  people.  By  the  sides  of  the  market 
were  shady  porches  of  pillars,  where  merchants  who  bought  and 
sold  cargoes  of  Cyprus  wine  and  Egyptian  corn  walked  to  and  fro. 
And  there  the  wise  men  of  the  town  also  walked  with  flowing 


SPEAKING   IN    THE    PAINTED   PORCH.  289 

robes,  talking  with  each  other,  and  sometimes  to  the  people,  like 
the  rabbis  in  the  porches  of  the  Jerusalem  temple — only  they 
talked  of  very  different  things.  Paul  listened,  and  when  an 
opportunity  came  he  spoke.  Now  these  philosophers  of  Athens 
were  fond  of  quiet  and  orderly  discussions  in  public,  and  while 
some  really  wished  to  reach  the  truth,  others  loved  with  clever- 
ness to  make  their  opponent  seem  foolish,  and  set  the  people 
laughing. 

They  would  not  be  displeased  when  Paul  joined  their  discus- 
sions, for  they  did  not  doubt  that  they  could  soon  silence  him. 
But  this  strange  Jew,  in  brown  cloak  and  travel-worn  sandals, 
showed  himself  a  subtle  and  skilful  debater,  who  would  not  be 
silenced ;  for  he  returned  day  after  day  to  their  debating  place, 
and  spoke  of  things  of  which  they  had  never  heard.  The  men 
whom  he  encountered  were  chiefly  of  two  sets — Stoics  and  Epi- 
cureans. For  three  hundred  and  fifty  years  the  Stoics  had  talked 
and  taught  in  the  painted  porch  at  the  market-place,  saying  that 
there  was  a  God,  who  made  the  world,  and  cared  for  it,  and  that 
men  should  live  lives  of  self-denial,  and  some  would  reach  a  life 
to  come.  The  Epicureans  had  met  and  taught  for  almost  as  many 
years,  in  their  beautiful  garden  by  the  river,  saying  that  God 
cared  nothing  for  men,  and  pleasure  was  the  only  thing  worth 
living  for,  and  there  was  no  life  hereafter. 

Paul  had  never  met  such  clever  debaters,  and  we  can  imagine 
with  what  energy  he  would  show  the  weakness  and  wickedness 
of  their  philosophy.  When  he  told  them,  with  impassioned  words 
and  glowing  eyes,  that  there  was  only  one  true  and  living  God, 
and  that  the  highest  life  for  men  to  live  was  in  the  steps  of 
Jesus  of  Nazareth,  crucified  at  Jerusalem  by  Pilate,  the  Roman 
governor,  twenty  years  ago,  and  who  rose  again  from  the  dead  to 
be  with  God,  they  shook  their  heads  and  smiled. 

He  was  not  able  to  convince  these  wise  men  of  Athens  that  the 
ideal  of  the  higher  life  shown  in  Jesus  of  Nazareth  was  higher, 
or  that  His  sayings  were  better,  than  Epicurus,  or  Zeno,  or 
Aristotle,  or  Plato ;  but  he  could  do  something  else.  Turning 
from  the  philosophers  among  the  shaded  pillars  to  the  people 
in  the  sunny  market  selling  their  fruit  in  baskets  and  red  jars, 
he  spoke  to  them  of  the  living,  unseen  God,  and  called  on  them 
to  turn  away  from  idols  of  wood  and  stone,  and  bow  the  knee  to 
Him,  and  become  followers  of  His  Son  Jesus  the  Nazarene,  and 
live  the  higher  life. 

Although  he  spoke  day  after  day,  we  are  not  told  what  he 
said ;  but  this  is  what  he  wrote  to  the  men  of  Ephesus  : — 

•'  I  bow  the  knee  in  prayer  to  God,  the  Father  of  every  nation 

a.o4o)  19 


290  ON    MARS'    RED    HILL. 

in  heaven  and  on  earth,  that  He  would  grant  you  of  His  rich 

glory,  that  you  may  be  strengthened  in  your  hearts  by  the  power 
of  His  Spirit ;  that  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  may  dwell  in  you  through 
faith  in  Him  ;  so  that,  being  rooted  and  grounded  in  love,  you 
may  be  strong  to  know  with  all  the  Christians  something  of  the 
length  and  breadth,  the  height  and  depth,  of  the  love  of  Jesus, 
which  passes  knowledge,  and  be  filled  with  the  fullness  of  God. 
And  to  Him  that  is  able  to  do  far  beyond  what  we  can  ask  or 
think,  by  His  power  working  in  us,  be  the  glory  in  Jesus  the 
Christ,  through  all  ages." 

The  people  paused  as  they  moved  to  and  fro,  and  listened  to 
the  burning  oratory  of  the  strange  Jew  in  the  brown  cloak ;  but 
they  did  not  believe  him.  His  story  was  too  strange  for  them, 
and  they  were  quite  happy  as  they  were. 

"  What  is  this  babbler  trying  to  say  ? "  asked  one  Stoic  of 
another. 

"He  seems  to  be  talking  of  strange  gods,"  replied  his  friend 
the  Epicurean. 

And  they  moved  off,  with  their  cloaks  of  amber  yellow  and 
tunics  of  blue,  to  tell  their  companions  about  the  earnestness  with 
which  Paul  was  talking  to  the  people.  Was  he  seeking  to  be  a 
new  teacher?  There  used  to  be  strict  laws  against  any  one 
speaking  publicly  against  the  temples,  or  being  a  public  teacher, 
until  he  had  got  leave  from  the  great  city  council  called  the 
Areopagus.  Socrates  and  others  had  been  stopped  by  this 
council  until  they  were  examined  as  to  what  they  were  teach- 
ing. They  were  the  fathers  of  the  city,  who  met  in  the  sun- 
shine, upon  a  mount  of  red  rock  called  Mars'  Hill,  where  they 
sat  in  a  wide  circle  of  stone  seats. 


On  Mars'    Red   Hill. 

ATHENS:     AGED    50-60. 

WHETHER  it  was  to  have  him  punished  or  put  to  silence, 
or  merely  out  of  curiosity  to  know  more  fully  what  new 
religion  he  was  telling  the  people,  it  came  about  that  Paul  had  to 
attend  a  meeting  of  the  Areopagus. 

They  met  in  the  early  morning;  and  the  sun  that  rose  in  a 
golden  haze  over  Mount  Hymettus,  shining  through  the  white 
pillars  of  the  Parthenon,  and  burning  on  the  helmet  of  Minerva, 
shone   also   on    Paul's    brown   robe   down  in  the   hollow  of  the 


ON  mars'  red  hill.  291 

market-place.  He  was  causing  no  crowds  or  tumults;  he  had 
not  stirred  the  city ;  but  his  words  had  been  noted.  The  elderly 
men,  in  their  tunics  of  purple  and  white,  and  blue  and  yellow, 
who  were  going  leisurely  up  the  sixteen  steps  to  the  flat  top  of 
Mars'  Hill,  were  not  gathering  there  on  account  of  him.  It  was 
only  their  usual  meeting,  with  the  usual  crowds  of  idle  people 
sitting  on  the  rocks  about  them. 

Morning  broadened  over  the  city  as  Paul  stood  speaking  in 
the  market.  Seeing  him  there  again,  some  of  the  philosophers 
in  the  porches  thought  it  was  time  the  council  knew  exactly  what 
he  was  teaching  so  earnestly ;  and  they  plucked  him  by  the  cloak, 
and  told  him  that  he  must  come  up  yonder,  pointing  with  a  wave 
of  the  hand  to  the  men  against  the  blue  sky  on  the  top  of  the 
crag.  Paul  turned  and  went  with  them,  his  eyes  bent  on  the 
ground  in  thought.  He  had  spoken  suddenly  on  many  occa- 
sions, but  never  to  such  an  audience.  He  was  in  no  danger  of 
his  life  or  of  imprisonment.  But  a  great  door  had  suddenly 
opened.  It  was  that  which  caused  him  thought.  How  should  he 
get  them  to  listen  1  How  could  he  keep  the  truth  from  glancing 
off  their  polished  minds "?  Among  these  cool  unbelievers,  with  his 
hot  Jewish  heart  and  lips  on  fire,  he  was  like  an  unarmed  man 
among  gladiators. 

They  knew  and  cared  nothing  about  the  God  of  the  Jews  and 
Jesus  the  Christ,  and  were  curious  only  to  hear  opinions  on 
religion  and  life,  and  talk  over  them,  with  no  intention  whatever 
of  believing  one  word.  He  need  not  repeat  passages  from  the 
Bible,  -for  they  did  not  know  it.  If  he  quoted  from  books,  it 
must  be  from  Greek  or  Roman  authors.  He  need  not  try  to  stir 
their  feelings  or  appeal  to  their  emotions,  for  they  professed  to 
have  none  in  such  matters.  They  wanted  facts  only.  He  must 
not  speak  against  their  temples,  their  altars,  or  their  idols,  although 
he  hated  them ;  and  he  must  speak  calmly  and  after  their  own 
manner,  although  his  heart  was  on  fire,  or  they  would  not  listen. 

When  he  reached  the  top  of  the  rock  steps,  and  looked  from 
the  brow  of  the  red  clifi*,  he  could  see  the  masts  of  ships  in  the 
harbour,  and  the  queen  of  cities  lay  like  a  landscape  about  him, 
with  rivers  of  people  in  the  valleys,  and  dazzling  temples  on  the 
heights.  The  hum  of  human  voices  came  up  to  him  from  the 
market— the  voices  of  men,  women,  and  children  moving  among 
blind  idols  of  stone  and  bronze. 

A  few  steps  brought  him  to  the  octagonal  meeting-place  of  the 
council — some  of  them  in  the  prime  of  life,  others  old,  with  white 
beards,  and  all  wearing  robes  of  pure  white,  with  a  broad  band  of 
purple  or  blue  or  red  at  the  hem,  and  embroidery  at  the  neck, 


292  ON  mars'  red  hill. 

their  close-cut  hair  uncovered.  Seated  behind  on  the  hot  rocks, 
and  standing  on  level  places,  were  the  idle  townspeople  who  had 
come  to  listen.  Yonder  square  stone  has  for  hundreds  of  years 
been  the  prisoner's  seat ;  the  other  is  for  the  accuser.  But  Paul 
would  not  sit  there.     His  was  not  a  trial,  but  an  inquiry. 

Paul  stood  watching  and  waiting  till  his  turn  came,  and  then 
the  chairman  addressed  him  in  these  polite  words,  as  if  asking  a 
favour, — 

"Will  you  tell  us  what  is  this  new  teaching  which  you  are 
speaking  to  the  people  ?  For  we  hear  that  you  are  saying  strange 
things,  and  wish  to  know  what  they  mean," 

Paul  went  forward  into  the  open  space  in  the  midst  of  the 
council — a  strange  figure  in  his  Jewish  tunic  and  sandals  and  striped 
kerchief  bound  round  his  brows  with  a  soft  cord,  as  he  stood  there 
with  men  of  learning  sitting  round,  and  a  throng  of  curious 
people  behind  them.  Yonder  shone  the  most  beautiful  temple  in 
the  world.  On  every  hill  there  was  a  temple.  The  streets  below 
were  lined  with  idols.  Green  trees  cast  their  shadows  over  count- 
less altars.  On  no  spot  on  earth  were  there  more  altars  crowded 
together.  His  grey  eyes  rested  on  the  calm  face  of  the  chairman, 
as  with  hand  upraised,  in  his  old  manner,  to  obtain  silence,  he 
slowly  began  a  calm  and  carefully-argued  speech,  different  from 
anything  he  had  ever  made  before,  and  well  fitted  to  make  the 
people  listen, — 

"Ye  men  of  Athens,  in  all  things  I  see  that  you  are  relig- 
ious. For  as  I  passed  along  your  streets,  looking  at  the  things  you 
worship,  I  came  to  an  altar  with  these  words  written  on  it — To  the 
Unknown  God.  And  thus,  without  knowing  the  unknown  God, 
you  worship  Him.  It  is  about  this  unknown  God  that  I  speak 
to  the  people." 

It  was  not  without  purpose  that  he  had  gone  from  street  to 
street,  reading  the  many  inscriptions  in  Greek  that  were  carved 
upon  their  altars  and  statues,  seeking  for  something  in  their  wor- 
ship approaching  to  his  own.  And  he  had  found  it.  For  there 
were  several  altars  at  which  the  people  placed  their  gifts,  and  mur- 
mured prayers  to  a  God  unknown  and  unseen,  the  great  and  living 
God  over  all,  of  whom  Socrates  and  other  Greek  philosophers  had 
dimly  spoken.  Starting  with  this  common  belief,  he  passed  on  to 
other  things  on  which  they  were  also  agreed. 


SOME    OTHER    TIME.  293 

Some  Other  Time, 

ATHENS:     AGED    50-60. 

IN  the  early  morning  sunshine,  Paul  continued  to  speak  to  the 
circle  of  white-robed  men,  the  crowd  of  citizens,  and  beyond 
them  to  the  world, — 

"  Seeing  that  God  made  the  world  and  everything  in  it,  and 
is  God  of  the  whole  heavens  and  earth,  He  does  not  live  in 
temples  made  by  men,  nor  is  He  to  be  served  with  sacrifices  and 
offerings  from  men's  hands.  He  does  not  need  such  things,  seeing 
that  He  himself  gives  life  and  breath  to  men,  and  all  that  we 
have.  He  made  of  one  nature  all  men  and  nations  to  live  in  the 
world.  He  fixed  their  times  and  seasons,  and  where  they  should 
dwell,  and  that  they  should  seek  God,  if  perhaps  they  might  feel 
after  Him  and  find  Him.  God  is  not  far  from  any  one  of  us,  for 
in  Him  we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our  being.  Some  of  your  own 
Greek  poets  have  said  so  in  these  words — For  we  are  His 
children." 

What  Paul  said  would  bring  to  some  of  their  minds  this 
passage  in  Aratus's  poem  called  "  Ph^enomena,"  which  was  popular 
everywhere, — 

"  From  Jove  we  came.     And  who  would  touch  the  string 
And  not  give  praise  to  heaven's  eternal  King  ? 
He  moves  the  market  and  the  crowded  way, 
The  throbbing  ocean  and  the  shining  bay ; 
If  danger  threatens,  or  if  pain  be  nigh, 
We  are  His  children,  and  to  Him  we  fiy." 

Others  of  his  listeners  would  remember  this  passage  from  a 
"Hymn  to  Jupiter,"  by  the  Greek  poet  Cleanthes,  a  leader  of 
Stoics,  who  had  himself  spoken  before  the  Areopagus, — 

"  Thou  first  great  Cause,  whose  word  is  nature's  law, 
Before  Thy  throne  we  bend,  in  fear  and  awe ; 
We  are  Thy  children,  and  to  us  is  given, 
To  us  alone,  to  lift  a  voice  to  Heaven." 

It  pleased  these  scholars  to  hear  him  referring  to  the  lofty 
sentiments  of  their  own  poets  who  wrote  three  hundred  years 
before,  and  they  listened  the  more  attentively  as  Paul  proceeded, — 

"  Seeing,  then,  that  we  are  all  children  of  God,  we  ought  not  to 
think  of  Him  as  like  a  figure  shaped  out  of  silver,  or  gold,  or 
marble  by  the  art  and  skill  of  man.      In  past  ages  God  excused 


294  THE    SHIP   EOAD. 

the  ignorance  of  men,  but  now  He  commands  them  everywhere 
to  repent  and  cease  from  such  things." 

He  wished  to  show  them  that  the  Spirit  of  God  was  in  man, 
and  could  not  be  put  into  blocks  of  marble  or  figures  of  bronze, 
and  that  to  set  up  such  things  as  God  was  darkness  and  ignorance. 
Thus  far  his  argument  appeared  reasonable.  But  he  passed  on  to 
say  things  which  they  would  not  admit  or  believe, — 

"  God  has  fixed  a  day  when  He  will  judge  all  men  justly,  by 
the  Man  whom  He  has  appointed,  of  which  God  has  given  proof 
to  every  one,  in  that  He  raised  Him  from  the  dead." 

Sounds  of  laughter  among  the  people  made  him  pause.  They 
were  laughing  because  he  had  spoken  of  a  dead  man  becoming 
alive  again.  But  he  Avas  not  angry.  He  had  often  been  laughed 
at  for  the  same  thing ;  and  he  kept  silent,  for  the  philosophers 
were  talking  together.  Some  mocked,  saying  that  this  stranger 
was  talking  nonsense,  and  they  would  listen  no  longer.  Others 
thought  he  was  very  clever,  and  there  might  be  a  great  deal  in 
what  he  said.  One  thing  was  clear — he  was  not  calling  their 
temples  and  idols  names ;  indeed,  he  had  seemed  to  praise :  but  it 
would  be  no  use  asking  him  to  go  on  that  day,  for  some  would 
listen  no  more.  And  the  chairman  bade  him  stand  aside  with 
these  words — "We  will  hear  you  about  this  some  other  time." 
With  a  polite  wave  of  the  hand  Paul  was  dismissed  from  the 
ring.  Stopped  with  laughter,  silenced  with  a  smile,  dismissed  with 
a  wave  of  the  hand,  he  went  out  from  among  these  men,  so  wise,  so 
great,  so  superior,  that  not  one  of  their  names  has  come  down  to  us, 
while  his  stands  as  a  pillar  in  the  world.  With  bowed  head  he 
went  down  the  sixteen  steps  from  the  seat  of  philosophy  to  the 
people  of  the  market,  having  failed  to  keep  their  attention — dis- 
missed as  one  whose  teaching  was  too  foolish  to  be  discussed  up 
there. 


The    Ship    Road. 

CORINTH:    AGED  50-60. 

YES,  there  was  one  whose  name  has  come  down  to  us,  redeemed 
from  the  darkness  of  that  sunlit  hill,  because  he  followed  the 
despised  Jew.  Dionysius,  an  Areopagite  of  position  and  learning, 
or  he  would  not  have  been  a  member  of  the  council,  was  so  im- 
pressed with  what  he  heard  that  he  inquired  more  fully  of  Paul, 
and  became  a  Christian,  and  was  his  friend  as  long  as  he  remained 
in  Athens.  Damaris — a  woman — and  a  few  others  also  believed, 
but  these  were  all  in  Athens. 


THE    SHIP   ROAD.  295 

He  did  not  remain  long  in  the  city  after  this.  Perhaps  the 
laughter  of  Mars'  Hill  found  an  echo  in  the  market-place,  and  they 
who  used  to  listen  would  listen  no  longer.  He  may  even  have 
got  a  hint  to  leave  the  city.  They  could  not  see  that  there  was 
anything  amiss  in  kneeling  before  a  beautiful  figure,  or  in  burning 
incense  upon  an  altar  with  a  name  cut  in  Greek  upon  it,  and  they 
would  not  have  them  spoken  against.  Everything  beautiful  and 
good,  they  said,  deserved  to  be  worshipped,  and  many  things  that 
were  neither  beautiful  nor  good. 

It  was  his  intention  to  wait  until  Timothy  and  Silas  returned, 
but  somehow  he  could  not  do  it  now.  He  had  spread  out  his  hands 
to  the  queen  of  cities,  whose  sons  were  the  most  graceful  and 
daughters  the  loveliest  that  the  world  has  seen  ;  and  he  was  re- 
jected, not  with  outrage,  stones,  and  treachery,  but  with  politeness 
and  indifference.  It  was  not  among  philosophers  that  he  would 
find  the  men  whose  minds  would  kindle  at  his  torch  and  spread 
the  fire  of  Christianity. 

How  long  he  would  have  remained  in  Athens  if  the  Areo- 
pagites  had  listened  to  his  teaching  may  be  gathered  from  this, 
that  he  stayed  a  year  and  a  half  in  the  next  city.  His  stay  in 
the  queen  of  cities  is  to  be  measured  not  by  months  but  weeks, 
and  yet  it  is  one  of  the  few  cities  he  was  not  driven  out  of.  Bid- 
ding farewell  to  Dionysius  and  the  friends  he  had  made,  he  left  the 
city  of  white  temples,  and  walked  down  the  paved  road  between 
the  long  walls,  towards  Pirseus  and  the  sea.  He  was  going  in  haste, 
before  Timothy  and  Silas  returned,  and  he  left  a  message  for  them 
to  follow  him  to  Corinth,  forty  miles  off,  across  the  blue  gulf  of 
Athens.  The  castle  of  Corinth  could  be  seen  from  the  walls  of 
Athens,  and  there  was  constant  traffic  going  on  between  the  two 
cities,  so  that  he  had  no  difficulty  in  finding  a  small  open  boat  in 
the  harbour  that  would  take  him  to  the  nearest  port. 

Wrapped  in  his  brown  cloak,  and  taking  his  bundles  and  his 
precious  books,  he  had  no  fear  of  pursuit,  as  the  boat,  bending 
under  the  high  sail,  passed  out  between  the  dark  stone  towers  at 
the  harbour  mouth,  and  Minerva's  glittering  spear,  on  the  heights 
of  Athens,  grew  dim  in  the  hot  distance.  He  had  not  suc- 
ceeded with  these  cold,  polished,  polite  philosophers,  although 
he  spoke  to  them  of  their  own  poets,  and  did  not  name  the  name 
of  Jesus.  Henceforth  he  would  leave  poetry  and  philosophy  to 
others,  and  speak  of  Jesus  only. 

The  boat,  driven  along  by  the  broad  sail,  hissed  through  the 
blue  waves,  past  the  large  island  of  Salamis,  heading  into  the 
golden  west,  with  nothing  but  white  crests  and  blue  hollows 
between  him  and  the  little  islands  at  the  bay  of  Cenchrea.     In 


296  THE    BRIDGE    OF   THE    SEAS. 

five  hours'  time  he  had  sailed  through  them,  and  could  make  out 
the  white  temples  of  Diana,  Yenus,  and  ^sculapius,  in  their  green 
groves,  outside  the  town  of  Cenchrea;  and  soon  they  were  at  the 
quay,  where  the  statue  of  Neptune  stood,  holding  aloft  a  fish  and 
a  spear. 

Like  Philippi,  Corinth  was  six  miles  inland  ;  and  this  was  the 
seaport,  with  a  wide  harbour  and  long  stone  quays  crowded  with 
boats,  that  were  being  laden  and  unladen  by  gangs  of  slaves,  for 
this  was  the  end  of  a  voyage.  All  day  long  the  men  toiled  in  the 
sunshine,  for  whole  cargoes  were  taken  out  of  ships  there  and 
carried  upon  horses,  asses,  and  camels  for  nine  miles  across  a 
narrow  neck  of  land  to  the  sea  on  the  other  side,  where  they  were 
put  into  fresh  ships  at  the  harbour  of  Lechseum,  to  go  to  far- 
distant  countries.  There  is  now  a  canal  there  for  the  ships  to 
pass  through,  but  at  another  part  of  the  bay  Paul  saw  small 
vessels  being  dragged  out  of  the  water  by  hundreds  of  slaves,  to  be 
rolled  upon  rollers  along  the  "  ship  road,"  in  one  day,  and  launched 
into  the  sea  on  the  other  side.  This  was  to  avoid  going  round  the 
cape  of  the  Morea,  for  Greek  wits  said  that  a  man  should  make 
his  will  before  venturing  round  that  stormy  headland. 

Although  it  was  only  six  miles  to  Corinth,  with  what  he  had 
to  carry  Paul  would  find  it  a  hard  journey.  It  was  a  beautiful 
road,  at  first  through  a  valley  with  soft  slopes  of  brown  and 
yellow,  rising  into  woods  of  pine,  and  lighter  olive,  carob,  and 
broom.  In  the  heat  of  the  day  the  shepherds  sat  in  the  mouth 
of  the  rock  caves  where  they  lived,  the  sheep  lying  in  the  shadow 
of  the  trees  and  shrubs.  He  was  not  lonely  on  the  way.  There 
were  strings  of  laden  animals  and  their  shouting  drivers  coming 
and  going,  and  two-wheeled  bullock  wagons  that  creaked  unceas- 
ingly on  their  wooden  axles ;  for  that  road  from  sea  to  sea,  with 
the  great  city  midway,  was  one  of  the  busiest  in  the  world — so 
busy  that  shortly  after  Paul's  visit  the  Roman  emperor  Nero 
ordered  the  canal  to  be  cut  across  the  neck  of  land,  but  it  was  not 
finished  until  long  afterwards. 


The  Bridge  of  the  Seas. 

CORINTH:   AGED  50-60. 

THE  afternoon  sun  threw  a  great  shadow  across  his  path,  and 
far  out  into  the  plain,  from  a  hill  like  the  rock  of  Gibraltar, 
on  which  the  castle  of  Corinth  was  built.     It  rose  so  high  out  of 


THE    BRIDGE    OF   THE    SEAS.  297 

the  level  country,  and  had  such  precipices,  that  it  took  a  man  an 
hour  to  go  up  the  only  path  to  the  top,  which  was  built  round 
with  a  crown  of  walls,  with  space  enough  within  for  a  little  town, 
a  huge  temple  of  Venus,  and  barracks  for  four  hundred  soldiers 
and  fifty  fierce  dogs. 

Four  miles  from  this  castle  on  the  rock  was  the  great  city, 
built  upon  rising  ground.  It  was  older  than  Athens,  with  more 
ancient  but  not  such  beautiful  temples ;  and  kings  and  con- 
querors had  fought  over  it  many  times,  for  they  called  it  the 
eye  of  Greece.  The  city  which  Paul  saw  spreading  out  upon  the 
plain,  with  sunshine  on  its  white  temples  and  brass  spires,  was 
not  the  old  one.  The  first  city  rose  into  great  magnifi.cence,  and 
was  taken  and  retaken  by  conquerors  until  two  hundred  years 
before  Paul  came,  when  it  was  destroyed  and  scattered  in  ruins, 
leaving  only  a  great  temple  standing  to  tell  where  it  had  stood. 

The  suns  of  a  hundred  years  shone  upon  the  ruins  of  ancient 
Corinth,  until  the  Roman  emperor,  Julius  Ccesar,  the  invader  of 
Britain,  ordered  it  to  be  rebuilt  again,  about  a  hundred  years 
before  Paul  came.  Roman  soldiers  were  sent  to  live  there,  so 
that  the  pennies  of  Corinth,  with  which  Paul  paid  for  his  food, 
had  the  head  of  Julius  Caesar  on  one  side  and  a  winged  horse  on 
the  other.  But  the  great  city  which  Paul  saw  has  now  vanished 
also,  and  some  of  the  huge  pillars  of  the  same  ancient  temple 
are  all  that  is  left  standing  to  tell  of  the  past;  and  it  is  not  likely 
that  they  will  ever  see  another  Corinth  spreading  round  their 
feet.  From  the  top  of  that  castle  on  the  rock,  whose  shadow  had 
crossed  his  path,  the  traveller  could  see  two  blue  gulfs  pressing 
close  to  the  green  neck  of  land  called  the  Bridge  of  the  Seas.  On 
one  side  was  the  Sea  of  Corinth,  with  ranges  of  purple  mountains 
growing  ever  wider  apart ;  on  the  other  was  the  Sea  of  Athens, 
studded  wdth  vapoury  isles  of  opal  hue ;  and  on  a  clear  day  he 
could  see  the  white  temples  of  the  Acropolis.  In  front  was  the 
rich,  undulating  plain  of  Corinth,  yellow  with  corn-fields,  silver 
with  olive  gardens,  golden  with  vines,  green  with  the  foliage  of 
lemon,  citron,  and  cypress  trees ;  while  afar  off,  the  mountains  of 
Parnassus,  Delphi,  and  Helicon  rose  into  the  blue. 

There  were  five  miles  of  walls  round  the  city,  and  as  Paul 
approached  the  low  Cenchrea  gateway,  he  saw  the  grove  of  dark 
cypress  trees,  mingled  with  marble  statues  and  brick  tombs, 
which  marked  the  spot  where  they  buried  their  dead.  The  road 
from  the  sea  led  into  the  chief  market  in  the  midst  of  the  city, 
where  they  made  their  bargains  before  the  large  bronze  statue 
of  the  beautiful  Yenus — the  Maid  of  Cyprus,  as  she  was  called 
by  sailors.     There  the  merchandise  coming  from  the  Eastern  world 


298  DRUNKEN    SAILORS    AND    IDOLS'    TEMPLES. 

was  exchanged  for  the  merchandise  of  the  West;  and  as  they  all 
paid  toll  on  their  goods  to  the  great  city,  Corinth  was  very  rich. 
There,  too,  was  an  equally  large  figure  of  Neptune,  standing  upon 
a  hideous  fish,  out  of  whose  mouth  gushed  a  stream  of  clear  water, 
for  man  and  beast,  doing  more  good  to  the  people  than  many 
statues. 

In  the  streets  and  in  the  market  were  Greek  merchants,  and 
red-capped  sailors  from  all  countries ;  slaves  of  black  and  brown, 
who  were  the  porters,  carriers,  drivers,  and  workmen  of  every  kind, 
for  freemen  did  not  care  to  work  with  their  hands.  And  Paul  had 
no  difficulty  in  finding  his  own  countrymen  among  the  crowds  of 
buyers  and  sellers,  for  there  were  Jews  by  hundreds  there. 


Drunken  Sailors  and   Idols'   Temples. 

CORINTH:    AGED  50-60. 

A  TRAVELLING  Jew  was  always  welcomed  by  his  countrymen 
in  a  strange  city  ;  so  that  when  Paul  went  into  the  Jews' 
streets,  it  had  only  to  become  known  that  he  was  a  rabbi  of  the 
temple  for  house  doors  to  be  opened  freely  to  him.  On  the  Sabbath 
he  went  as  usual  to  the  dim  synagogue,  and  took  his  seat  among  the 
elders,  near  the  purple  curtain.  When  the  time  came  for  speak- 
ing, he  went  to  the  reader's  desk  and  spoke  to  the  men  with 
bowed  heads  and  tasselled  shawls  who  were  sitting  on  mats  on 
the  floor.  He  did  not  speak  to  them  of  idols,  and  altars,  and 
Greek  poets.  That  he  left  behind  him  on  Mars'  red  hill.  He 
spoke  of  Jesus ;  and  his  listeners  were  astonished  to  hear  him 
say  that  the  Christ  had  come,  and  was  crucified  at  Jerusalem 
twenty  years  before,  and  rose  from  the  dead  to  sit  at  God's  right 
hand.  They  questioned  him,  and  he  rej)eated  the  passages  from 
the  Bible  which  he  knew  so  well ;  and  they  wondered  yet  more, 
and  resolved  to  search  the  Bible  for  themselves.  We  do  not  know 
what  he  said  in  these  addresses,  but  this  is  part  of  the  letter 
he  afterwards  wrote  to  the  men  of  Corinth  : — 

"  If  I  preach  the  gospel,  I  have  nothing  to  glory  in :  for  I  do 
it  of  necessity;  and  woe  is  me  if  I  do  not  preach.  If  I  were  to  do 
this  of  mine  own  will  only,  I  should  have  a  certain  reward ;  but  I 
have  a  charge  given  me  by  God,  and  my  reward  is  that  when  I 
preach  the  gospel  I  should  make  it  free,  not  using  my  right  to  be 
maintained  by  others.  Though  free  from  all  men,  I  am  the  slave 
of  all,  that  I  may  win  the  more  for  Jesus.     To  Jews  I  speak  as  a 


DRUNKEN    SAILORS    AND    IDOLS'    TEMPLES.  299 

Jew,  that  I  may  win  them.  To  men  who  have  come  under  the 
Jewish  law  to  obey  it,  I  speak  as  under  it,  though  not  under  it, 
that  I  may  win  them.  To  those  who  are  not  under  the  law,  I 
speak  as  not  under  it,  though  under  law  to  God  and  the  Christ, 
that  I  may  win  them.  I  meet  men  of  weak  will  on  their  own 
ground,  that  I  may  win  them.  I  argue  all  things  with  all  men, 
that  by  all  means  I  may  save  some,  doing  all  for  the  sake  of  the 
gospel.  You  know  that  when  young  men  run  in  a  racecourse, 
they  all  run,  but  only  one  gains  the  prize;  and  so  must  you  run 
and  win.  And  you  know  that  all  who  contend  in  these  public 
games  live  temperately  in  everything.  They  do  these  things  to 
win  a  perishing  wreath  of  green  leaves;  but  our  crown  will  not 
perish.  I  run  therefore  Avith  determination ;  I  fight  not  like  one 
who  beats  the  air:  I  train  my  body  and  make  it  obedient,  lest 
by  any  means,  having  encouraged  others,  I  myself  should  be 
rejected." 

There  he  met  Aquila  and  Priscilla,  husband  and  wife,  who 
made  themselves  known  to  him,  saying  that  they  were  Jewish 
Christians  from  Rome;  and  this  gave  him  great  joy.  They  were 
tentmakers,  and  when  they  heard  that  he  was  of  the  same  trade, 
they  asked  him  to  come  and  live  and  work  with  them.  Aquila 
belonged  to  the  province  of  Pontus,  about  a  hundred  miles  be- 
yond Tarsus,  and  he  and  his  wife  fled  from  Rome  when  the 
Emperor  Claudius  ordered  all  the  Jews  to  leave  the  city,  on  pain  of 
death.  A  Christian  from  Rome,  the  mistress  of  the  world  !  Paul 
listened  with  the  deepest  interest  to  all  they  could  tell  him 
about  the  Christians  there,  and  their  knowledge  of  the  new 
gospel.  They  found  much  to  talk  about  as  they  sat  in  their 
small  house,  spinning,  weaving,  cutting,  and  sewing  the  hard  hair- 
cloth together  with  coarse  needle  and  string,  and  earning  so  little 
money  among  them  that  they  had  sometimes  to  work  all  night,  by 
the  light  of  a  small  oil  lamp,  to  make  enough  to  keep  them. 

He  went  to  the  market-place  to  sell  his  haircloth,  where  the 
bronze  fountain  of  Neptune  stood,  and  men  and  women  of  all  trades 
and  countries  were  moving  to  and  fro,  selling  wool,  dyed  yarn 
of  all  shades,  porcelain  dishes,  willow  baskets,  shoes  and  sandals ; 
smiths  selling  bronze,  iron,  and  brass  work,  and  foreign  sailors  with 
bright-plum  aged  birds  in  small  cages,  and  shells  and  red  coral  in 
baskets.  The  brass  of  the  city  was  the  finest  in  the  world — so  fine 
that  the  beautiful  gate  of  the  temple  of  Jerusalem  was  made  of 
it.  But  the  market  was  often  rough  and  riotous,  because  of  the 
crowds  of  sailors  who  came  up  from  the  seaports  to  enjoy  them- 
selves in  the  city ;  and  Paul  was  grieved  to  hear  their  foul 
languaoje  and  see  their  drunkenness. 


300  SHAKING    OUT    HIS   GARMENTS. 

It  was  a  city  of  idolatry,  with  many  temples,  to  which  the  people 
were  drawn  by  the  feasting,  drinking,  and  rioting  encouraged 
there.  The  greatest  was  the  temple  of  Yenus,  the  woman  idol, 
served  by  a  thousand  slave  women,  who  were  made  to  take  part 
in  the  revels  and  wickedness,  Corinth  was  indeed  the  worst 
city  that  Paul  had  yet  visited — so  bad  that,  among  the  Romans, 
to  be  called  a  Corinthian  meant  to  be  very  wicked  indeed. 

Paul  mixed  with  these  throngs  of  trading  citizens  and  pleasure- 
seeking  strangers  during  the  week,  and  on  the  Jewish  Sabbaths — • 
for  the  city  had  none — he  continued  to  go  to  the  synagogue,  and 
speak  to  his  own  countrymen  about  Jesus  the  Christ.  As  usual, 
they  would  not  believe  him,  and  asked  searching  questions,  and 
argued.  But  Greeks  also  were  there  who  worshipped  as  foreigners 
at  the  back  of  the  dim  synagogue,  and  they  listened  in  wonder. 
Luke  was  not  present  to  tell  us  what  he  said,  but  this  is  what 
Paul  wrote  to  the  Jews  of  Rome  : — 

"Being  saved  by  faith  in  Jesus,  we  have  peace  with  God 
through  Him  :  for  by  faith  in  Him  we  have  an  entrance  into  the 
grace  by  which  we  stand,  rejoicing  in  the  hope  of  the  glory  of 
God.  And  not  only  so,  but  we  rejoice  also  in  our  trials  :  knowing 
that  suffering  brings  patience;  and  patience,  proving;  and  proving 
brings  hope  that  will  not  be  put  to  shame ;  for  the  love  of  God 
has  been  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  through  His  Holy  Spirit 
given  to  us.  While  we  were  still  weak,  in  due  time  the  Christ 
died  for  wicked  men.  Hardly  for  a  good  man  will  another  die : 
perhaps  one  might  even  dare  to  die  for  him.  But  God's  love 
towards  us  is  so  great  that,  while  we  were  yet  sinners,  Jesus 
died  for  us ;  and  much  more  now,  being  made  just  by  His 
death,  shall  we  be  saved  through  Him  from  the  wrath  of  God.  If, 
while  we  were  enemies,  we  were  reconciled  to  God  through  the 
death  of  Jesus  His  Son,  much  more  shall  we  be  saved  by  His 
life.  And  we  rejoice  in  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  the  Christ, 
by  whom  we  have  been  reconciled  to  Him." 


Shaking  out  his  Garments. 

CORINTH  :     AGED    50-60. 

WHILE  Paul  was  hard  at  work,  weaving  and  tentmaking 
during  the  week,  and  speaking  in  the  synagogue  on  the 
Sabbath,  and  perhaps  on  Thursdays  also,  two  friends  joined  him. 
Silas  and  Timothy  arrived  from  Thessalonica  and  Philippi,  and  they 
brought  another  present,  with  kind  messages  that  touched  him 


SHAKING    OUT    HIS    GARMENTS.  301 

deeply.  Their  arrival  cheered  him  more  than  anything  since  his 
flight  from  Macedonia,  especially  when  he  was  told  that  the  con- 
gregations were  prospering,  and  were  longing  to  see  him  again. 

He  heard  that  Jason  and  the  other  Christians  of  Thessalonica 
had  been  very  harshly  treated,  but  had  borne  it  so  well  that  their 
conduct  was  the  talk  of  all  the  Christians  in  the  provinces  of 
Macedonia  and  Achaia.  But  he  also  heard  that  some  were  not 
behaving  well — giving  way  to  greed  and  worse  things,  and  not 
obeying  those  set  over  them.  Others  were  disturbed  ai3out  what 
he  had  said  of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  and  Christ's  coming 
soon  to  the  world,  and  wanted  to  know  if  they  only  who  were  alive 
would  see  Jesus,  and  not  they  who  were  dead.  Some  expected 
Jesus  so  soon  that  they  would  not  work.  And  Paul  saw  that 
these  errors  must  be  corrected. 

With  Silas  and  Timothy  to  help  him,  he  turned  with  fresh 
vigour  to  his  countrymen  in  the  synagogue  ;  but  the  more  he 
urged,  the  harder  their  faces  became  against  the  new  religion. 
And  when  he  told  them  that  if  they  would  not  receive  the  gospel 
the  foreigners  in  the  city  would,  they  called  him  names,  and  Jesus 
also.  At  length  the  day  came  when  the  dispute  was  doubly  bitter 
in  the  hot,  dark  synagogue,  and  Paul  in  anger  seized  his  loose  tunic 
with  both  hands,  and  shook  it  at  the  men  sitting  on  the  floor,  as  if 
shaking  the  dust  of  the  place  into  their  faces  before  leaving  them, 
exclaiming,  "  Your  blood  be  on  your  own  heads.  I  am  clean. 
Henceforth  I  go  to  the  men  of  the  city."  His  gesture  of  shaking 
his  clothes  at  them,  like  pouring  the  dust  out  of  his  shoe  on 
the  road  at  Pisidian  Antioch,  was  one  of  contempt,  that  greatly 
enraged  his  countrymen ;  and  he  and  his  companions  left  the  syna- 
gogue amid  yells  of  anger  and  loud  threats. 

But  they  did  not  leave  that  meeting  alone,  for  some  of  the  Jews 
had  become  Christians,  and  Justus,  a  leader,  was  among  them; 
and  when  they  got  out  into  the  sunshine  of  the  street,  he  invited 
them  all  to  come  into  his  house  next  door,  and  it  became  the 
meeting-place  of  the  Christians.  All  who  wished  to  join  in  their 
worship,  whether  Jews  or  foreigners,  were  welcomed  there ;  and 
in  time  a  good  many  people  came,  and  some  joined  the  Christians, 
amongst  them  Crispus,  the  chief  man  in  the  synagogue,  and  all 
his  family.  But  their  meetings  were  not  large,  for  one  room 
could  hold  them  all.  Paul  tells  us  how  he  spoke  to  these  Chris- 
tians in  his  letter  to  them  : — 

"  Know  you  not  that  you  are  each  a  temple  of  God,  and  that 
the  Spirit  of  God  dwells  in  you  ?  If  any  man  should  destroy  the 
temple  of  God,  him  will  God  destroy ;  for  the  temple  of  God,  which 
you  are,  is  holy. 


302  SHAKING    OUT    HIS    GARMENTS. 

"  Let  no  man  deceive  himself.  If  any  man  among  you  thinks 
that  he  is  wise  in  the  world,  let  him  think  himself  a  fool,  that  he 
may  become  wise  towards  God.  For  the  wisdom  of  the  world 
is  foolishness  with  God.  Job  said.  He  taketh  the  wise  in  their 
cunning.  And  in  the  Psalms  it  is  written,  God  knows  the  reason- 
ing of  the  wise,  that  it  is  foolish.  Therefore  let  no  one  glory 
in  man's  wisdom.  For  all  things  are  yours ;  whether  of  things 
present  or  things  to  come,  all  are  yours ;  and  you  are  the  Christ's, 
and  He  is  God's.  We  are  the  ministers  of  the  Christ,  and  keepers 
of  the  mysteries  of  God.  A  keeper  must  be  faithful ;  but  with 
me  it  is  a  very  small  matter  whether  I  am  judged  by  you,  or  by 
any  man.  I  know  of  nothing  against  myself :  but  that  does  not 
justify  me.  God  is  my  judge.  Therefore  judge  nothing  before 
the  time,  until  God  comes,  who  will  bring  to  light  the  hidden 
things  of  darkness,  and  make  known  the  thoughts  of  the  heart. 
Then  shall  each  man  have  his  praise  of  God." 

Like  all  men  of  strong  will  and  nervous  temperament,  Paul 
was  often  in  low  spirits ;  and  when  he  thought  of  the  wickedness 
and  idolatry  of  the  great  city,  and  the  enmity  of  his  own  country- 
men, he  was  down-hearted.  The  new  gospel  was  not  running 
like  fire  along  the  ground.  One  room  was  large  enough  for  them 
all.  But  strengtli  came  in  a  way  that  was  usual  with  him,  and 
that  has  put  fresh  courage  into  the  hearts  of  many  good  men  since 
his  day.  As  he  lay  asleep  in  the  night,  he  dreamt  that  Jesus  said 
to  hiin,  "  Be  not  afraid ;  but  speak,  and  be  not  silent.  For  I  am 
with  you,  and  no  man  shall  set  on  you,  to  harm  you.  For  I 
have  many  people  in  this  city." 

He  believed  the  dream  was  from  God ;  and  when  he  told  it  to 
Silas  and  Timothy,  they  were  glad  ;  and  he  turned  with  new  energy 
to  his  work  of  speaking  to  the  people,  and  did  not  leave  the 
city.  But  the  Christian  meeting-place  next  door  to  their  syna- 
gogue was  a  constant  annoyance  to  the  Jews,  who  naturally  thought 
that  they  were  seeking  to  draw  away  their  people  ;  and  when  they 
met  Paul  upon  the  street,  they  threatened  what  they  would  do  to 
him  if  he  did  not  cease  speaking,  or  leave  the  city.  But  he  had 
liad  his  dream,  and  was  not  afraid,  and  held  on  his  course,  deter- 
mined to  succeed  in  Corinth. 

No  doubt  his  countrymen  complained  to  the  Roman  governor  of 
the  city,  but  he  did  not  interfere,  and  seems  even  to  have  favoured 
tlie  Christians ;  for  although  Paul  and  his  friends  preached  openly 
in  the  streets  and  markets,  it  was  not  until  a  new  governor  came 
that  the  Jews  got  him  to  listen  to  their  complaints. 


TAKING  SUPPER  TOGETHER.  303 

Taking  Supper  Together. 

CORINTH:     AGED    50-60. 

WHEN  Crispus  joined  them,  Paul  baptized  him  with  water, 
after  the  manner  of  the  Christians,  as  a  solemn  sign  of 
membership ;  and  he  baptized  Gaius  also.  And  as  each  Jew  or 
foreigner  joined,  and  professed  his  belief  in  God  and  in  Jesus,  he 
was  baptized  by  some  of  the  others.  They  were  principally  of  the 
poorest  class  of  the  city — tradesmen,  slaves,  and  others  even  of  a 
worse  type ;  for  Paul  welcomed  all  who  were  willing  to  turn  from 
idols  and  serve  the  living  God,  and  live  lives  worthy  of  the 
change. 

The  congregation  tried  to  carry  out  the  idea  of  their  being  all 
of  one  family,  and  took  certain  meals  together,  and  encouraged 
each  other  to  keep  away  from  the  feasts  and  the  temples  of  idols, 
and  to  avoid  drunkenness,  and  other  things  which  were  thought 
nothing  of  among  their  old  friends.  The  breaking  of  bread,  as 
Jesus  broke  it,  was  a  most  solemn  act,  especially  at  supper-time — 
a  meal  which  He  took  daily  with  His  disciples.  And  at  supper 
these  Christians  ate  simple  fare  and  drank  of  mingled  wine  and 
water,  sharing  their  food  with  each  other,  and  helping  and  loving 
each  other,  in  a  childlike  and  primitive  way.  But  it  was  not  long 
satisfactory,  and  led  to  trouble.  Paul  and  Silas  and  Timothy  took 
these  meals  with  them,  and  Paul  told  them  how  they  should  keep 
the  Lord's  Supper,  and  repeated  it  in  his  letter  to  them.  In  it 
he  explained  the  saying  of  Jesus  to  the  people  in  Capernaum 
synagogue,  that  they  must  drink  His  blood  and  eat  His  flesh, 
meaning  that  they  must  believe  His  words,  which  would  be  like 
meat  and  drink  to  them.     This  is  what  Paul  wrote  : — 

"  I  speak  to  you  as  wise  men  who  can  judge  what  I  say.  Fly 
from  the  worship  of  idols.  The  cup  of  wine  over  which  we  ask 
the  blessing  of  God,  is  it  not  a  communion  of  the  blood  of  Jesus  ? 
And  the  bread  which  we  break,  is  it  not  a  communion  of  His  body, 
seeing  that  the  Christians,  who  are  many,  are  as  one  bread  and 
one  body :  for  we  all  eat  of  the  one  loaf  ? 

"  The  Jewish  priests,  who  eat  of  the  meat  that  is  ojffered  on  the 
temple  altar,  have  communion  with  the  altar.  I  do  not  say  that 
food  which  has  been  put  before  an  idol  is  anything,  or  that  the 
idol  itself  is  anything.  For  the  things  wdiich  unbelievers  offer  to 
their  idols,  they  offer  to  demons,  and  not  to  God  ;  and  I  do  not  wish 
you  to  have  communion  with  demons.  You  cannot  both  drink  of 
the  wine  cup  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  the  wine  cup  of  the  feasts 


304»  TAKING  SUPPER  TOGETHER. 

of  idols.  You  cannot  both  sit  down  at  the  supper  of  Christians, 
and  go  to  the  feasts  in  the  temples  of  idols.  Are  we  stronger  than 
God,  that  we  should  tempt  Him  to  anger  1 " 

Autumn  passed,  and  still  Paul  and  his  two  companions  stayed 
at  Corinth.  The  purple  grapes  were  plucked  from  the  vines  ;  the 
dark-green  olives,  the  ruddy  apples,  the  golden  dates  were  gathered 
in  orchard  and  garden ;  the  leaves  of  russet  and  crimson  in  the 
woods  flew  in  showers  through  the  air,  to  be  blown  into  heaps, 
by  the  gusts  of  coming  winter.  But  winter  there  did  not  mean 
severe  cold.  Sudden  storms  of  thunder,  lightning,  and  hail ;  days 
of  deluging  rain  that  made  it  impossible  for  people  to  travel ;  weeks 
of  soft  snow,  from  a  dull-grey  sky,  followed  by  white  clouds,  gaps 
of  blue,  and  hours  of  warm  sunshine,  formed  their  kind  of  winter ; 
with  dark  nights,  when  fires  were  heaped  upon  the  stone  floor,  and 
men  lay  close  to  them  on  their  mats  and  couches. 

Living  with  Aquila,  the  weaver,  Paul  worked  hard  at  his  trade ; 
and  as  he  talked  with  Timothy  and  Silas  during  the  long  nights 
about  their  travels,  and  what  was  going  on  at  Thessalonica  while 
he  was  in  Athens,  he  resolved,  as  he  did  not  know  when  he 
would  be  able  to  visit  them,  to  write  the  Thessalonians  a  letter. 
It  was  nothing  new  for  letters  to  be  written  by  Jewish  rabbis  to 
distant  synagogues,  but  this  is  the  first  letter  of  Paul's  that  has 
come  down  to  us.  It  is  the  oldest  part  of  the  New  Testament 
— older  than  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  When  Paul  wrote  it,  the 
four  Gospels  were  only  in  the  notes  and  memoranda  of  those  who 
wished  to  remember  the  sayings  of  Jesus,  and  it  was  not  until 
at  least  ten  years  after  that  the  first  life  of  Jesus  was  written. 
But  these  notes  of  the  sayings  of  Jesus  would  be  copied  by  the 
Christians  everywhere,  and  the  apostles  at  Jerusalem  also  wrote 
letters,  some  of  which  have  come  down  to  us.  So  that  Paul  was 
doing  nothing  strange  or  new  in  writing  this  letter ;  but  what  he 
wrote  was  both  strange  and  new.  Sometimes  he  wrote  with  long 
arguments  and  strange  illustrations — so  like  a  rabbi  that  it  is 
doubtful  if  the  foreigners  would  understand  these  parts ;  but  they 
were  always  accompanied  by  luminous  passages.  Peter,  the  simple- 
minded  fisherman,  said  of  these  wonderful  letters, — 

"  Our  beloved  brother  Paul,  according  to  the  wisdom  given  to 
him,  wrote  to  you,  as  also  in  all  his  letters,  speaking  in  them  of 
matters  in  which  there  are  some  things  hard  to  be  understood, 
which  the  ignorant  and  unsteady  twist  to  their  own  destruction." 

His  idea  of  writing  inspired  letters  to  be  read  in  meetings  of 
Christians,  which  began  with  a  short  one,  developed  into  much 
longer  ones,  which  he  instructed  to  be  taken  round  to  a  number  of 
places ;  and  while  some  are  direct  letters  to  correct  the  glaring 


HIS   FIRST    LETTER.  305 

faults  of  certain  men,  others  are  more  general  in  their  terms. 
Twelve  have  come  down  to  us,  and  three  that  he  speaks  of  are 
lost. 

I  have  already  given  portions  of  this  first  letter  to  the  Thes- 
salonians,  and  you  can  read  the  whole  of  it  in  the  Bible.  Here 
you  will  only  find  references,  intended  to  help  you  to  understand 
it  better  and  read  it  more  clearly.  A  feature  of  it  is  Paul's  ex- 
pectation of  the  early  appearance  of  Jesus  on  the  earth,  in  fulfil- 
ment of  the  Jewish  idea  of  the  Messiah — a  hope  which  changed  as 
years  passed. 


His   First   Letter. 

CORINTH  :    AGED  50-60. 

IF  we  could  have  seen  them  being  written,  we  should  under- 
stand Paul's  letters  better.  But  we  can  picture  him  as  a  man 
growing  old,  but  still  strong,  sitting  on  a  low  couch  in  a  very  small 
room,  his  dark  features  and  keen,  grey  eyes  lit  up  by  a  small  oil 
lamp  that  stands  near  the  youthful  Timothy,  who,  with  a  long 
scroll  of  papyrus  paper  before  him,  slowly  marks  down  in  black 
Greek  letters,  with  a  reed  pen,  what  Paul  says,  dipping  it  from 
time  to  time  into  a  small  bottle  of  liquid  soot  fastened  at  his 
girdle.  His  letter  is  like  an  address.  Now  he  speaks  in  tones 
of  hot  rebuke,  now  in  the  warmth  of  love  and  friendship,  now 
in  rapt  vision,  and  again  in  absent-minded  thought  that  wanders 
far  away  from  the  little  dark  room,  and  the  slow-moving  pen,  and 
the  rattle  and  thump  of  Aquila's  weaving.  Hour  by  hour,  night 
after  night,  Silas  would  sit  gravely  listening,  sometimes  dis- 
cussing parts  with  the  rabbi  skilled  in  composition  and  learned 
in  the  Scriptures  and  Traditions,  sometimes  talking  with  Timothy 
about  what  they  heard  and  saw  of  the  persecutions  after  Paul  left 
them  in  Macedonia. 

The  letter  is  from  Paul,  Silas,  and  Timothy,  and  it  is  to  be 
read  to  all  the  Christians  at  Thessalonica. 

He  began  with  praising  them  for  the  way  they  welcomed  the 
gospel  when  he  preached  it  to  them  a  year  ago,  and  had  remained 
faithful  under  persecutions,  so  that  they  were  an  example  to 
surrounding  countries  into  which  the  sound  of  the  gospel  had 
gone  forth  from  them.  They  had  turned  away  from  idols  to  the 
living  God,  and  were  waiting  for  the  coming  of  Jesus  from  heaven. 

He  reminded  them  that  after  he  was  flogged  at  Philippi  they 
welcomed  him,  and  that  he  preached  the  gospel  to  them  amid 

(1,040)  20 


306  HIS   FIRST   LETTER. 

much  disturbance.  His  speaking  was  not  to  please  men,  but  God ; 
and  he  did  not  flatter  them  to  win  their  praise,  nor  to  live  at 
their  expense,  as  he  might  have  done  as  a  travelling  apostle.  He 
worked  night  and  day  at  weaving  and  tentmaking  to  keep  him- 
self, and  was  like  a  father  among  them,  so  that  when  he  spoke 
they  listened  as  to  a  message  from  God. 

Their  persecutions  from  friends  were  like  those  of  the  Jews  of 
Judea,  who  killed  Jesus,  and  drove  Paul  himself  out,  forbidding 
him  to  preach  to  foreigners.  Though  absent  from  his  eyes  they 
were  present  in  his  heart,  and  he  longed  to  come  and  see  them, 
but  could  not.  On  hearing  in  Athens  of  their  suffering,  he  sent 
Timothy  back  to  help  them,  and  remained  in  that  city  alone. 
And  he  was  comforted  when  Timothy  came  to  Corinth  and  told 
him  that  they  were  standing  firm  in  the  faith,  and  he  prayed  for 
them  night  and  day. 

He  urged  them  to  live  temperate  and  pure  lives,  not  filled  with 
passion  and  lust  like  those  who  go  to  the  revels  and  orgies  in  the 
temples  of  idols.  They  were  also  to  live  quietly,  attending  to  their 
business,  and  working  with  their  hands,  and  be  honest  with  them 
that  were  not  Christians,  and  be  independent. 

When  in  Thessalonica,  he  told  them  that  Jesus  might  come 
at  any  time ;  and  Timothy  said  that  this  had  caused  them  much 
concern.  Some  had  stopped  working  because  the  end  was  so 
near,  others  went  about  stirring  up  the  rest  to  be  ready,  others 
wondered  what  would  happen  to  the  dead,  while  others  thought 
more  about  the  living ;  and  all  were  eager  to  know  the  day,  and 
the  time  of  day,  when  Jesus  would  come  down  from  the  skies  in 
a  cloud  of  fire,  and  surrounded  by  angels.  Would  it  be  in  the 
dark  night  or  in  broad  daylight  ?  They  asked  many  questions  by 
the  youthful  Timothy.  And  Paul  bade  him  write  that  they  were 
not  to  be  like  idolaters,  without  hope  of  a  life  beyond  the  grave. 

Paul  at  this  time  expected  Jesus  to  return  to  the  earth  before 
he  himself  was  dead  ;  and  he  told  these  men  of  Thessalonica  some- 
thing of  the  strange  belief  which  all  Jews  held,  whether  Christian 
or  not,  that  the  Christ  would  come  down  from  the  skies  with  a 
shout,  the  voices  of  archangels,  and  the  sound  of  God's  trumpet, 
and  that  all  believers  would  rise  to  meet  Him.  But  wherever  he 
told  the  Christians  of  this  remnant  of  his  rabbinical  training,  it 
had  the  effect  of  creating  great  unrest  amongst  them,  and  as  years 
passed  it  seemed  to  drop  out  of  his  mind. 

To  their  question  as  to  the  exact  time  he  was  less  definite, 
saying  that  the  day  would  come  like  a  thief  in  the  night,  with 
sudden  destruction  upon  the  enemies  of  Jesus ;  and  that  they 
must  watch  and  be  sober,  and  not  drunken ;  and  that  as  Jesus 


A   WREATH    OF    GREEN    LEAVES.  807 

died  for  them,  whether  asleep  or  awake  they  would  live  with 
Him.  They  were  all  to  obey  the  office-bearers  of  the  congrega- 
tion, and  live  peaceably  together,  and  bear  with  each  other. 

"  See  that  no  one  returns  evil  for  evil  one  to  another,  but  ever 
that  which  is  good.  Rejoice,  pray,  give  thanks;  for  that  is  the 
will  of  God,  through  Jesus.  Encourage  the  spirit  of  goodness, 
despise  not  preachers,  prove  everything,  hold  fast  what  is  good, 
and  abstain  from  all  appearance  of  evil.  And  may  the  God  of 
peace  make  you  wholly  pure,  and  keep  you  without  blame  until 
the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  the  Christ.  He  is  faithful  who  calls 
you  to  Him,  and  will  do  it." 

The  letter  would  be  read  aloud  by  Timothy,  and  altered  wher- 
ever Paul  wished ;  and  he  would  write  out  a  careful  copy  on  a 
long  yellow  roll,  which  Paul  would  read  before  he. certified  and 
signed  it.  Then  it  would  be  carefully  and  tightly  rolled  up  and 
sealed,  with  an  outer  cover  of  waterproof  haircloth,  which  Paul 
and  Aquila  made,  and  given  to  some  friend  who  was  sailing 
to  Thessalonica,  with  instructions  into  whose  hands  it  was  to  be 
given. 


A  Wreath  of  Qreen   Leaves. 

CORINTH  :    AGED  50-60. 

PAUL  stayed  on  in  Corinth,  and  in  no  other  city  did  he  meet 
with  such  success  or  remain  so  long.  He  wrote  his  first 
letter  there,  and  there  he  saw  the  great  Isthmian  games,  which 
took  place  every  two  years,  turning  the  city  wild  with  excitement 
and  revelry  for  weeks. 

These  games  were  not  without  interest  to  him,  for  they 
were  the  second  greatest  in  the  world,  the  Olympic  games  at 
Athens  alone  being  greater.  They  were  held  in  early  summer, 
when  the  plains  were  dry,  the  trees  green,  and  the  seas  calm, 
and  people  came  from  far  countries.  They  got  their  Isthmian 
name  because  they  took  place  upon  the  Isthmus  of  Corinth,  the 
narrow  neck  of  land  with  the  waves  of  two  seas  rippling  on  eacji 
side. 

The  city  was  filled  with  young  men  and  their  trainers,  who 
came  from  every  town  in  Greece  to  try  for  the  prizes ;  and  for 
weeks  before  the  games  began,  the  seaports  of  Cenchrea  and 
Lechseum  were  crowded  with  ships  bringing  strangers,  and  some 
bringing  lions  and  tigers  from  Africa,  bears,  wolves,  and  fierce 
dogs  from  Asia,  and  splendid  race-horses   from    Syria,   to  make 


308  A    WREATH    OF    GREEN    LEAVES. 

sport  for  the  people.  The  roads  up  from  the  sea  were  thronged 
with  common  people  walking,  and  gentlemen  riding,  officers  driving 
their  chariots,  and  women  being  carried  in  rich  litters  by  their 
slaves,  all  going  to  the  city,  where  the  crowds  increased  by  hun- 
dreds every  day. 

Then  the  streets  were  thronged  with  gay  youths  in  bright 
clothing,  some  dissolute  and  many  drunken,  playing  upon  pipes, 
tambourines,  and  small  harps,  and  shouting  songs.  Jugglers, 
fortune-tellers,  and  buffoons  showed  off  their  tricks,  and  bawled 
coarse  jokes  to  the  people  round  them.  Slave  dancing-girls,  in 
thin  waving  dresses  of  red  and  blue,  rattled  their  castanets  and 
tinkled  their  small  bells,  as  they  danced  for  their  masters  on  the 
hot  pavements  of  square  and  market.  White-robed  priests  of 
Yenus  passed  by,  beating  their  loud  gong,  and  calling  to  the 
crowds  to  come  to  their  feasts  and  other  iniquities  in  the  temple 
on  the  top  of  the  rock. 

The  Isthmian  games  were  leaping,  running,  quoiting,  spear- 
throwing,  wrestling,  boxing,  singing,  recitation;  and  to  these  were 
added  wild-beast  fights  and  chariot  races.  The  prizes  were  not 
money  or  cups  of  silver  and  gold,  but  a  wreath  for  the  head,  of 
green  pine  leaves,  cut  with  a  knife  of  gold,  from  the  woods  of 
Neptune's  temple.  This  seems  to  us  a  trifling  prize,  and  yet 
young  men  trained  for  years ;  and  if  a  youth  won  a  wreath,  the 
city  and  state  to  which  he  belonged  put  up  a  statue  to  him,  and 
said  he  was  one  of  the  greatest  of  men.  The  secret  was,  that  the 
rulers  of  the  people  valued  strength  and  agility  of  body  above  every- 
thing else,  for  it  made  good  soldiers. 

The  games  were  held  eight  miles  from  the  city,  where  the  isth- 
mus was  narrowest,  near  the  great  wall.  And  Paul  saw  the  crowds 
streaming  at  dawn  towards  the  spot — some  going  early  in  slow 
white  procession  to  the  sacrifices  and  the  feast  in  the  temple  of 
the  brazen  Neptune ;  some  hastening  to  secure  good  seats  on  the 
wooden  benches ;  some  dressed  in  coarse  tunics  of  red,  and  blue, 
and  yellow,  driving  laden  donkeys,  on  their  way  to  put  up  their 
tents  and  booths  on  the  ground,  and  sell  what  they  could  at  the 
fair.  They  were  all  going  towards  the  enclosure  at  the  white 
temple  amid  green  groves  surrounded  by  walls ;  and  soon  the 
avenue  of  trees,  lined  with  statues  of  all  who  had  won  in  the 
games,  would  be  crowded  like  the  street  of  a  city. 

The  course  for  the  runners  was  less  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile, 
and  was  surrounded  with  rising  seats  for  thirty  thousand  people. 
Women  were  not  allowed  to  be  present,  but  it  is  said  that  slave 
women  were  sometimes  made  to  run  races  before  these  yelling 
men.     The  ground  was  strewn  with  fine  yellow  sand,  and  there 


A   WREATH    OF    GREEN    LEAVES.  309 

under  the  clear  blue  sky,  their  heads  shaded  from  the  sun  by 
different-coloured  awnings,  these  thousands,  in  tunics  of  every 
hue,  watched  the  finest  racers  in  the  world ;  but  it  is  not  likely 
that  Paul  went.  At  the  sound  of  a  trumpet  the  racers  came  out 
and  stood  in  line,  and  when  the  white  napkin  dropped  they  started 
off,  speeding  like  arrows  between  the  rows  of  yelling  people,  turn- 
ing the  post  at  the  farther  end,  and  flying  back  to  touch  the  cord. 
And  the  winner  would  be  crowned  with  the  simple  wreath  of 
green  leaves  by  the  judge  of  the  games,  before  all  the  people, 
and  feasted  in  the  temple  of  the  brazen  Neptune  at  the  end  of 
the  five  days.  There,  too,  the  people  witnessed  the  grace  and 
skill  with  which  the  youths  poised  and  threw  the  bronze-headed 
spear,  or  heaved  the  round  quoits  of  heavy  brass.  And  Paul 
knew  that  each  youth  had  to  be  examined  by  a  committee,  who 
would  not  allow  him  to  compete  in  the  games  unless  he  was  a 
pure  Greek,  and  in  the  best  of  training. 

On  another  day,  the  crowds  in  the  amphitheatre  heard  the 
herald  blowing  his  brassy  trumpet,  proclaiming  the  name  and 
city  of  each  man  as  he  stepped  forward,  dropping  his  light  cloak, 
his  only  covering,  and  greeted  their  favourites  with  loud  shouts, 
making  bets  on  which  would  win,  for  betting  was  one  of  the  great 
attractions  of  the  games.  There,  with  well-oiled  bodies,  they 
leaped  with  the  agility  of  graceful  animals;  and  again,  clasping 
each  other  with  knotted  arms,  they  wrestled  and  twisted  like  bulls 
together,  or  fought,  boxing  with  blows  that  were  meant  to  injure, 
if  not  to  kill.  But  when  they  bound  leather  bands  on  their  hands, 
studded  with  nails,  with  which  they  struck  each  other  on  their 
naked  and  bleeding  bodies,  it  was  in  cruel  earnest. 

And  upon  another  day,  men  stood  forth  armed  in  the  glaring 
sunshine,  short  sword  in  hand  and  round  shield  on  arm,  to  fight 
wild  beasts  that  were  let  loose  from  cages  upon  them,  and  all  to 
make  sport  with  their  lives  for  the  thousands  seated  in  safety  on 
the  high  stone  benches,  ready  to  yell  "  coward  "  if  a  man  flinched 
before  the  spring  of  a  tiger,  and  to  laugh,  shout,  weep,  curse,  and 
lay  bets  as  the  fights  went  on. 

In  the  hippodrome,  upon  another  day,  vast  crowds  thronged 
the  seats,  and  at  the  sound  of  a  trumpet  the  three-horse  chariots 
came  sweeping  in  to  the  barrier,  each  driver  wearing  his  colours 
of  red  or  blue  or  green,  that  the  people  might  know  him  and  lay 
their  wagers.  At  a  signal  given,  the  barrier  fell  with  a  clatter ; 
and  amid  fiercely-cracking  whips  and  yelling  drivers,  the  horses 
sprang  forward  with  the  light  two-wheeled  chariots  of  crimson  and 
blue,  in  which  men  stood  holding  the  reins  and  whirling  whips, 
while  the  horses'  feet  beat  the  sand  into  the  air,  as  they  galloped 


310  "WORK    NOT,    EAT    NOT." 

round  the  vast  ring — some  to  strike  the  wall  and  be  upset ;  some 
to  lock  wheels  together  ;  while  some  battled  with  rearing,  unmanage- 
able steeds ;  and  one  only  to  win  the  prize,  amid  the  frantic  yells 
of  the  people. 

In  Corinth  so  much  was  thought  of  the  Isthmian  games  thai 
their  copper  coins  in  daily  use  had  the  word  "  Isthmia "  upon 
them,  surrounded  with  a  wreath  of  leaves  tied  with  a  ribbon ;  and 
a  young  Roman  emperor  thought  it  an  honour  to  have  his  name 
on  one  of  them  as  a  prize-winner,  although  he  never  won  a  prize. 

Paul's  thoughts  turned  away  from  these  young  men  striving  and 
fighting  for  a  wreath  of  fading  green  leaves  to  what  the  Christians 
were  striving  for,  and  he  wished  that  these  idolaters  might  be  got 
to  fight  with  equal  eagerness  for  the  prize  of  the  higher  life  in 
Jesus, 


"Work  not,   eat  not." 

CORINTH:     AGED    50-60. 

WE  can  understand  with  what  eagerness  the  letter  from  Paul 
and  his  two  companions  was  unrolled  by  the  man  to  whom 
it  was  directed  at  Thessalonica,  and  read  to  a  crowded  meeting 
of  the  Christians,  and  with  what  awe  they  would  hear  that  the 
day  of  Jesus  was  coming  as  a  thief  in  the  night.  Portions  would 
be  read  at  every  meeting  afterwards,  although  it  was  not  in  chap- 
ters and  verses  as  it  is  now ;  and  it  would  be  talked  about,  and 
copies  made  and  sent  to  other  meetings,  although  there  were  parts 
which  they  would  not  understand.  And  while  it  set  at  rest  some 
of  their  difficulties,  it  raised  their  expectations  of  Jesus  appearing 
soon  to  a  pitch  of  feverish  excitement. 

After  some  months  Paul  heard  by  a  messenger  from  Thessa- 
lonica how  the  letter  had  been  received,  and  of  its  effect  upon  the 
Christians  ;  and  he  talked  with  Silas  and  Timothy,  and  determined 
that  they  required  another.  In  this  second  letter  a  good  deal  of 
what  is  in  the  first  is  repeated,  even  to  the  very  words ;  and  that 
is  natural,  as  he  would  have  a  copy  of  the  first  letter  beside  him 
when  writing  the  second.  Going  over  it  carefully,  he  would  read 
the  passages  that  had  roused  the  excitement  and  fears  of  those 
who  heard  it,  and  would  settle  the  explanations  that  were 
required,  repeating  the  advices  which  had  not  been  sufficiently 
heeded.     Timothy  would  again  write  to  Paul's  dictation. 

He  began  by  repeating  his  former  message  of  cheering  and 
encouragement,  telling  them  that  he  praised  them  in  other  congre- 


"WORK    NOT,    EAT    NOT."  311 

gations  for  their  patience  and  steadfastness  under  persecutions. 
As  to  the  coining  of  Jesus,  they  are  not  to  be  shaken  in  their 
minds,  nor  troubled  by  men's  words,  or  by  false  letters  pretending 
to  be  from  him,  saying  that  the  coming  of  Jesus  was  very  near ; 
for  it  would  not  be  for  years.  Then  his  words  become  very  ob- 
scure, and  are  thought  to  refer  to  the  monstrous  Roman  emperor, 
whose  image  was  set  up  to  be  worshipped  in  hundreds  of  temples ; 
and  he  repeats  an  idea  which  he  had  learned  as  a  rabbi,  that  the 
Christ  when  He  came  would  slay  His  enemies  with  flame  coming 
out  of  His  mouth — -a  thing  very  unlike  Jesus.  They  are  to  recall 
what  he  said  about  this  when  he  was  in  Thessalonica,  and  stiand 
fast,  holding  to  what  he  taught  them  in  his  speeches  and  by  letter. 

Christians  who  are  disorderly  are  to  be  avoided ;  and  they 
who  had  ceased  to  work  and  taken  to  talking,  because  they  ex- 
pected Jesus  so  soon,  are  to  imitate  the  behaviour  of  Paul  and 
Silas  when  they  lived  among  them,  working  night  and  day  rather 
than  eat  bread  for  nothing.  They  are  to  remember  the  wise 
Jewish  proverb  of  which  he  told  them  when  preaching,  "If  he 
will  not  work,  neither  shall  he  eat."  Christians  who  are  idle 
gossips  and  busybodies  are  commanded  to  go  quietly  back  to  their 
work  and  earn  their  own  bread. 

"  Be  not  weary  of  well-doing  :  but  if  any  one  does  not  obey  our 
words  in  this  letter,  take  note  of  him,  and  avoid  him,  that  he  may 
be  ashamed ;  yet  treat  him  not  as  an  enemy,  but  speak  to  him  as 
a  brother.  And  may  the  God  of  peace  give  you  peace  at  all  times, 
and  in  all  ways,  and  be  with  you  all." 

The  letter  would  be  read,  corrected,  and  copied  out,  as  before, 
by  the  careful  hand  of  the  youthful  Timothy,  and  read  over  to 
Paul.  Taking  the  reed  pen  in  his  hand,  he  stooped  over  the  long 
roll,  and  wrote ;  and  when  he  handed  the  pen  back,  this  is  what 
Timothy  read,  written  at  the  end  in  thick,  black  Greek  letters  : — 

"  The  greeting  of  me,  Paul,  with  mine  own  hand,  which  is  the 
proof  of  my  letter,  so  I  write.  The  favour  of  our  Lord  Jesus  the 
Christ  be  with  you  all." 

Again  this  letter  was  sealed,  carefully  tied  up,  and  delivered 
to  a  Christian  going  to  distant  Thessalonica,  to  be  read  at  the 
gatherings  there.  They  were  to  go  on  with  their  daily  work,  for 
Jesus  would  not  return  for  years. 

I  have  only  given  the  narrative  part  of  these  letters  here. 
The  teaching  you  will  find  at  other  places,  and  you  can  read 
the  whole  in  your  Bible.  They  dealt  sharply  with  errors  into 
which  these  ignorant,  untrained,  recent  idol-worshippers  were 
falling,  and  are  not  all  of  equal  value  to  us  now.  It  is  not 
unusual  for  English  people  to  read  these  letters  as  if  they  were  all 


312  SWEET   GALLIO. 

written  to  and  for  them ;  but  you  will  try  to  remember  the  kind 
of  persons  to  whom  they  were  written,  and  why  they  were 
written,  and  sift  the  passing  business  from  the  permanent  teach- 
ing in  them.  There  is  nothing  in  them  yet  of  that  struggle  with 
false  Christians  from  Jerusalem,  who,  unknown  to  him,  were  even 
now  attacking  him  in  other  cities,  and  which  takes  up  so  much 
of  his  later  letters,  for  these  slanderers  had  not  yet  reached 
Thessalonica. 

A  sweet  note  of  closeness  to  Jesus  pervades  them,  of  gentleness, 
brotherly  love,  and  above  all  of  peace.  God  is  the  God  of  peace, 
Jesus  the  Lord  of  peace,  who  will  give  His  followers  peace ;  and 
they  are  to  have  His  patience,  and  go  about  their  daily  business. 
These  useless,  endless  discussions  among  Christians  about  points 
of  doctrine  and  ceremonial,  and  who  are  the  proper  teachers  and 
the  true  believers,  had  not  touched  them  ;  but  soon  these  ecclesi- 
astic bugle-notes  would  be  heard  which  have  sounded  ever  since 
in  the  world,  and  the  gospel  of  Christianity  according  to  Paul 
would  be  crossed  by  the  dark  and  sinister  lines  of  Christianity 
according  to  Pharisees,  who  hated  him,  and  did  not  love  Jesus. 


Sweet  Qallio. 

COKINTH:     AGED    50-60. 

73  AXIL  and  his  friends  were  so  well  pleased  with  their  work  in 
^  Corinth  that  they  stayed  for  another  winter  teaching  in  the 
city.  The  snows  swept  over  the  hills,  the  winds  lashed  the  two 
seas,  thunderstorms  crashed  among  the  mountains,  rain  and  hail 
whipped  the  sodden  plain,  as  the  weeks  crept  by,  until  days  of 
gleaming  sunshine  melted  the  snows  from  the  shoulders  of  the 
mountains,  and  clothed  the  plains  with  fresh  spring  grass,  strewn 
with  wild-flowers  of  crimson  and  yellow,  of  blue  and  dazzling 
white,  scattered  like  stars  on  the  ground.  They  had  been  a 
year  and  a  half  in  the  gay  city  of  sailors,  and  traders,  jugglers, 
tricksters,  drunkards,  dancers,  fortune-tellers.  In  his  daily  teach- 
ing Paul  spoke  to  the  strange  men  and  women  who  became 
Christians  in  terms  of  the  most  plain  and  searching  kind,  and  this 
is  from  one  of  his  letters  to  them  : — 

"  All  things  are  right  for  me,  but  all  things  are  not  desirable ; 
for  I  will  not  be  brought  under  the  power  of  anything.  Meat  is 
for  man,  and  man  for  meat :  but  both  shall  perish.  You  are  to  do 
good  and  not  evil,  seeing  that  you  are  joined  to  Jesus,  and  are 


SWEET    GALLIC.  313 

one  in  spirit  with  Him.  For  your  body  is  the  temple  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  which  is  in  you,  and  which  you  have  from  God. 
You  are  not  your  own,  but  have  been  bought  with  a  price  * 
therefore  glorify  God. 

"  If  any  Christian  has  an  unbelieving  wife,  and  she  is  willing 
to  dwell  with  him,  or  a  wife  an  unbelieving  husband  content  to 
dwell  with  her,  let  them  not  leave  each  other :  for  God's  voice  has 
called  you  in  peace.  How  do  you  know,  O  wife,  whether  you 
shall  not  save  your  husband?  or  you,  O  husband,  whether  you 
shall  not  save  your  wife  1  As  God's  voice  has  called  each  man,  so 
let  him  live.  And  this  I  say  in  all  congregations.  Is  any  man 
called  to  be  a  Christian  who  is  not  circumcised?  let  him  not  be 
circumcised.  Any  one  who  is  circumcised  need  not  be  undone ; 
for  circumcision  and  uncircumcision  matter  nothing,  but  keeping 
the  commandments  of  God  is  everything. 

"  Let  every  man  remain  at  the  work  at  which  he  was  when  we 
called  him  to  be  a  Christian,  Were  you  called  when  a  slave,  care 
not ;  but  if  you  can  become  free,  do  so.  A  slave  called  to  be  a 
Christian  becomes  free  in  Jesus ;  and  freemen  become  His  slaves. 
Jesus  has  freed  you  from  evil ;  become  not  its  slaves  again.  Let 
any  man  who  has  been  called  of  God  remain  as  he  is." 

About  this  time  the  friendly  Roman  governor  was  changed, 
and  Gallio,  a  famous  man,  came  in  his  place.  He  was  the  elder 
brother  of  Seneca,  the  great  Koman  statesman,  whose  Latin  books 
have  come  down  to  us,  and  who  mentions  that  his  brother  caught 
a  fever  in  Greece,  and  had  to  take  a  voyage,  sailing  from  Cenchrea 
to  Egypt  for  his  health.  Gallio  was  a  man  of  learning  and  good 
sense,  and  of  such  a  gentle  disposition  that  in  Rome  the  poeta 
and  philosophers  with  whom  he  associated  called  him  "Sweet 
Gallio." 

Seneca,  a  scholar  so  learned  that  the  emperor  Claudius  made 
him  private  tutor  to  his  son  Nero,  was  very  fond  of  his  brother, 
and  when  he  got  the  appointment  of  governor  of  Achaia,  extend- 
ing for  one  hundred  miles  round  Corinth,  he  playfully  calls 
him  "  My  Lord  Gallio  "  in  his  letters,  and  says  of  him,  in  fanciful 
praise,  that  whoever  loved  Gallio  to  the  uttermost  loved  him  too 
little. 

Paul's  constant  and  fearless  speaking  in  the  city  caused  the 
Jews  of  the  synagogue  to  determine  to  have  him  stopped.  They 
heard — for  Paul  made  no  secret  of  it — how  he  was  driven  out  of 
Philippi  and  Thessalonica,  and  thought  that  the  coming  of  the  new 
governor  would  be  a  good  time  to  try  the  same  in  Corinth. 

And  one  day  as  Gallio  sat  in  his  chair  of  white  ivory  on  the 
pavement  of  black  and  white  tiles,  with  the  cool  wind  blowing 


S14  SWEET   GALLIO. 

through  the  arches,  open  to  all  who  wished  Roman  justice,  there 
was  a  noise  of  shouting  in  the  streets,  and  a  crowd  came  thronging 
round  the  raised  pavement,  and  he  saw  they  were  nearly  all  Jews, 
bringing  a  Jew  to  judgment.  Paul  had  been  seized  and  dragged 
through  the  streets  to  the  magistrate.  Gallio  knew  about  him, 
for  he  was  informed  of  all  that  was  going  on  in  the  city,  and  no 
one  could  speak  as  Paul  did  to  the  people  without  the  governor 
knowing.  The  old  governor,  too,  may  have  told  him  about  Paul 
and  his  companions  before  he  left,  for  Gallio  was  favourable  to 
him  from  the  very  first. 

He  saw  the  Jews,  with  their  black  eyes,  bearded  faces,  long  hair, 
and  coloured  turbans,  and  knew  that  Paul  had  enraged  them  by 
leaving  their  synagogue  and  starting  a  meeting-place  next  door, 
where  he  spoke  to  the  people  about  their  God  and  one  called 
Jesus.  Looking  towards  them,  he  asked  the  usual  questions — 
the  name  of  the  prisoner,  and  the  names  of  his  accusers,  and 
what  was  their  complaint.  Sosthenes  had  succeeded  Crispus  the 
Christian  as  chief  of  the  synagogue,  and  spoke  for  all  who  were 
there,  as  he  pointed  to  Paul — "  This  man  is  persuading  men  to 
worship  God,  contrary  to  the  law."  He  wished  the  judge  to  think 
it  was  the  Roman  law  they  were  all  so  eager  about,  but  Gallio 
knew  better.  Under  the  Roman  law  Paul  and  the  Jews  were 
free  to  worship  after  their  own  manner,  and  to  dispute  over  relig- 
ious questions  as  much  as  they  pleased,  as  long  as  they  did  not 
fight  or  disturb  the  city. 

Paul  was  ready  to  answer  his  accuser,  and  looked  to  the  judge 
for  the  usual  sign  to  speak ;  but  Gallio  held  up  his  hand  to  be 
silent,  and  looking  at  Sosthenes,  he  said  quietly, — 

"  You  Jews,  if  this  were  a  matter  of  crime,  or  of  a  wrong  against 
the  Roman  law,  it  would  be  reasonable  that  I  should  hear  your 
case.  But  you  and  he  are  disputing  about  words  and  names,  of 
your  own  religious  law,  and  you  must  settle  it  among  yourselves. 
I  am  not  going  to  be  a  judge  of  such  things." 

With  a  wave  of  his  hand  he  bade  the  Jews  go  away  and  not 
trouble  him.  But  they  would  not  go,  and  remained  shouting 
and  protesting,  insisting  and  appealing,  and  by  this  time  a 
crowd  of  idle  townspeople  had  gathered,  attracted  by  the  noise. 
Another  sign  from  Gallio,  and  with  the  handles  of  their  wooden 
pikes  his  soldiers  were  pushing,  punching,  and  driving  the  Jews 
in  a  huddled,  yelling  mass  out  into  the  street.  Seeing  how  they 
were  treated  by  the  Roman  guards,  some  of  the  common  people, 
who  hated  all  unshaven  Jews,  laid  hold  of  Sosthenes,  their  leader, 
before  he  was  quite  clear  of  the  place,  and  gave  him  a  beating. 
Paul  had  taught  in  their  streets  and  markets  for  two  winters,  and 


WHITE    SAILS    AND    BLUE    SEAS.  315 

some  knowledge  that  he  was  in  favour  with  the  governor  may  have 
lent  vigour  to  their  blows. 

Gallio  had  a  glimpse  of  the  people  through  the  marble  pillars, 
and  had  a  good  idea  what  was  happening ;  but  he  cared  nothing 
about  it,  and  went  on  with  the  next  business.  Why  was  he  so 
friendly  to  this  Jew  of  Tarsus,  who  was  a  stranger  to  him? 
Perhaps  he  had  heard  him  speaking  openly  to  the  people  as  he 
drove  through  the  street,  and  thought  as  he  passed  how  much 
better  the  Corinthians  would  be  if  they  would  do  as  this  Jew  in 
the  brown  cloak  bade  them.  We  should  like  to  know  if  he  ever 
spoke  to  Paul  about  his  teaching,  and  whether  he  was  again 
Paul's  friend  eight  years  afterwards  in  Rome,  when  Paul  was  in 
a  Roman  prison,  and  he  in  a  Roman  palace — both,  alas,  to  fall 
under  the  displeasure  of  Nero. 

One  result  of  this  attack  of  his  countrymen  was  that  Paul  was 
under  Roman  protection  as  long  as  he  remained  in  Corinth ;  and 
the  kindness  of  Gallio  stimulated  his  growing  desire  to  preach 
the  gospel  in  Rome,  and  gave  him  confidence  in  the  fairness  of 
a  Roman  judge. 


White  Sails  and   Blue  Seas. 

CORINTH  :    AGED  50-60. 

AGAIN  the  two  seas  were  dotted  with  the  white  and  red  sails, 
-^J^  for  the  storms  were  over,  and  the  time  had  come  for 
people  to  take  their  passage  who  wished  to  travel  by  sea,  and  Paul's 
restless  mind  was  stirring  him  up  to  go  elsewhere.  Besides  the 
common  people  of  the  town  who  joined  the  Christians  in  large 
numbers,  we  have  the  names  of  Crispus,  the  chief  of  the  synagogue ; 
Erastus,  the  treasurer  of  the  city;  Zenas,  a  Jewish  lawyer  ;  Quartus, 
Achaicus,  Fortunatus,  Chloe  and  her  family,  and  Gains,  in  whose 
house  he  lived  upon  his  next  visit.  He  started  a  congregation 
at  Cenchrea,  of  which  Phcebe  was  a  member,  a  woman  of  such 
power  that  afterwards  he  sent  her  as  the  bearer  of  his  long  letter 
to  the  Christians  of  Rome.  He  also  visited  the  other  seaport 
of  Lechseum,  on  the  Gulf  of  Corinth,  a  place  so  important  that, 
like  Athens,  the  road  of  one  and  a  half  miles  was  lined  with 
huge  stone  walls,  so  that  Corinth  should  never  be  cut  off  from  pro- 
visions and  soldiers  from  the  sea. 

Next  door  to  the  synagogue,  with  the  vine  and  leaves  carved 
over  the  door,  the  Christians  met  and  worshipped — some  with 
praying  shawl  and  blue  fringes,  after  the  manner  of  Jews  ;  others 


316  WHITE    SAILS    AND    BLUE    SEAS. 

with  uncovered  heads  of  close-cut  hair — the  men  sitting  on  one 
side,  the  women  and  children  on  the  other.  There  they  listened 
to  parts  of  the  Bible,  and  responded  to  the  prayers  with  uplifted 
hands.  On  Sabbath  evenings  they  had  a  special  supper  together, 
when  they  called  to  mind  the  death  and  rising  of  Jesus ;  and 
they  liked  to  call  them  love-feasts,  a  name  which  suggests  their 
old  idol  festivals.  Paul  helped  them  to  appoint  oflBce-bearers,  and 
some  were  even  recognized  as  teachers.  Still  they  delighted  to 
listen  to  him,  sitting  on  their  coloured  mats  of  straw  or  carpet  on 
the  floor  of  the  largest  room  of  Crispus's  house,  or  in  the  open 
courtyard,  or  tree-shaded  garden.  He  had  carefully  instructed 
them  about  the  difficult  matter  of  their  love-feasts,  and  this  is 
what  he  afterwards  wrote  them : — 

"  When  you  come  together  to  eat,  you  are  made  worse  and 
not  better  for  it.  I  hear  that  when  you  meet  in  the  congregation, 
there  are  divisions  among  you ;  and  I  partly  believe  it :  for  there 
will  always  be  such  things,  that  they  who  are  in  the  right  may  be 
shown  forth.  When  you  meet  at  your  common  meals,  it  is  not 
possible  to  eat  the  Lord's  supper.  For  you  eat  not  all  together, 
but  one  before  another :  and  one  who  has  brought  little  is  hungry, 
and  another  is  drunken.  Have  you  not  houses  to  eat  and  drink 
in  ?  or  do  you  despise  the  congregation  of  God,  and  wish  to  make 
the  poor  feel  ashamed,  who  can  bring  no  food  or  wine  ?  I  do  not 
praise  you  in  this. 

"I  was  guided  by  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  when  I  told  you  how  to 
keep  His  supper.  On  the  night  on  which  He  was  betrayed  by 
Judas,  He  took  the  bread,  and,  after  giving  thanks  to  God,  broke 
it,  saying,  This  is  My  body,  which  is  broken  for  you :  this  do  in 
memory  of  Me.  In  the  same  way,  after  the  supper  was  done,  He 
took  the  wine  cup,  saying.  This  cup  is  the  new  testament  in  My 
blood  :  this  do,  as  often  as  you  drink,  in  memory  of  Me.  Now 
as  often  as  you  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  this  cup,  you  make 
known  the  death  of  Jesus  until  He  comes.  Whoever  does 
so  in  an  improper  way  is  guilty  of  an  offence  against  Jesus.  Let 
every  man  examine  himself  before  eating  of  the  bread  and  drinking 
of  the  cup  :  for  you  will  eat  and  drink  judgment  to  yourselves  if 
you  do  not  make  a  difference  between  this  and  a  common  meal. 
Through  this  cause  many  of  you  are  sick  and  weakly,  and  not  a  few 
are  dead.  Therefore,  my  brothers,  when  you  come  together  to 
eat,  wait  one  for  another.  And  if  any  man  is  hungry,  let  him  eat 
at  home ;  that  your  meeting  be  not  for  your  punishment.  The  rest 
I  will  put  in  order  later." 

He  was  about  to  leave  Corinth,  after  eighteen  months  of  going 
in  and  out  among  them,  from  house  to  house  and  place  to  place ; 


WHITE    SAILS    AND    BLUE    SEAS.  317 

SO  that  the  figure  of  the  Jew  in  the  brown  cloak,  with  the  striped 
kerchief  and  grey  eyes,  was  familiar  everywhere,  as  the  man  who 
brought  a  new  religion  to  the  great  city.  There  wauld  be  a 
crowded  farewell  meeting,  and  we  can  picture  them  listening  to 
words  like  these,  not  knowing  when  they  would  hear  Paul's  voice 
again  : — 

"  Consider  what  has  taken  place  among  you,  that  not  many 
wise  men  of  the  city,  not  many  in  power,  not  many  high-born 
people  have  become  Christians  :  but  the  teaching  which  seemed 
foolish  to  the  learned,  weak  to  the  powerful,  and  base  to  the  high- 
born, is  triumphing  under  the  power  of  God.  No  one  can  say  that 
it  is  his  learning,  or  power,  or  rank  that  has  done  it,  but  the 
power  of  God  through  Jesus.  No  man  can  take  the  praise  to  him- 
self;  it  must  be  given  to  God. 

"  Brothers,  when  I  came  to  you,  I  did  not  preach  the  mystery 
of  God  with  oratory,  and  fine  words,  and  philosophy.  For  I 
resolved  not  to  know  anything  among  you  but  Jesus,  the  crucified 
Christ.  I  was  with  you  in  weakness,  and  trembling,  and  fear. 
And  when  I  spoke,  it  was  not  with  persuasive  words  of  philosophy, 
but  in  the  power  of  God's  Spirit :  so  that  your  faith  should  not  be 
in  the  wisdom  of  men,  but  in  the  power  of  God. 

"Again  I  make  known  to  you  the  gospel  which  I  preached, 
and  which  you  received  ;  in  which  you  stand,  and  by  which  you 
are  saved;  in  the  words  in  which  I  preached  it,  if  you  hold  it  fast, 
and  have  not  believed  in  vain.  First  of  all,  I  preached  to  you 
what  I  received  from  others :  how  that  Jesus  died  for  our  sins, 
being  the  Christ  of  the  Bible  ;  that  He  was  buried,  and  was 
raised  on  the  third  day,  as  the  Bible  foretold ;  that  He  appeared 
to  Peter,  then  to  the  twelve  apostles ;  then  to  about  five  hundred 
of  His  followers  at  one  time,  of  whom  the  greater  number  are  still 
alive,  but  some  are  dead ;  then  to  James  His  brother,  then  to  all 
the  apostles,  and  last  of  all  to  me  also.  For  I  am  the  least  of 
the  apostles,  and  do  not  deserve  to  be  called  one,  because  I 
persecuted  the  people  of  God.  But  by  God's  favour  I  am  what  I 
am.  And  His  favour  was  not  given  to  me  in  vain ;  for  I  have 
worked  harder  than  them  all :  and  yet  not  I,  but  the  power  of  God 
which  was  with  me.  And  now,  whether  through  others  or  through 
me,  this  is  what  has  been  preached  to  you,  and  this  is  what  you 
have  believed." 

Where  would  he  go  next  ?  Surely  back  to  Thessalonica  and 
Philippi,  or  to  Antioch.  But  Paul  often  changed  his  plans,  and 
now  he  felt  that  he  should  go  away  to  distant  Jerusalem  to  attend 
the  Passover  festival.  We  are  not  told  why,  but  perhaps  the 
Pharisee  Christians  had  something  to  do  with  it. 


318  AQUILA    THE    WEAVER. 

All  the  Christians  who  could  go  so  far  would  accompany  Paul 
in  the  brown  cloak,  and  his  two  companions,  as  they  rode  down  the 
white  road  by  the  shadow  of  the  castle  rock  and  the  pine  woods 
to  Cenchrea  by  the  seaside.  Almost  two  years  had  gone  by 
since  he  came  up  that  way,  a  lonely  and  dispirited  man,  from 
Athens.  Now  he  was  leaving,  having  established  a  congregation 
of  men  who  would  worship  the  living  God  and  strive  after  the 
higher  life  in  Jesus — -a  new  light  in  the  midst  of  the  dark  city. 


Aquila  the  Weaver. 

CENCHREA  :    AGED  50-60. 

AQUILA  the  weaver  and  his  wife,  with  whom  Paul  had  lived, 
-^^  were  leaving  Corinth  with  him.  "We  are  not  told  what 
Silas  and  Timothy  did.  Of  Silas,  who  had  toiled  and  suffered 
at  Paul's  side,  we  do  not  hear  again,  excepting  as  Peter's  com- 
panion ;  while  Timothy  is  not  mentioned  for  some  time.  He  had 
now  been  absent  from  Lystra  for  three  years,  and  it  is  likely 
that  he  went  home  before  meeting  Paul  again  at  Antioch. 

At  Cenchrea  Paul  and  his  two  friends  found  a  ship,  probably 
going  with  Jewish  pilgrims  to  Jerusalem;  but  it  was  to  call  first 
at  Ephesus,  and  they  agreed  to  go  in  it.  And  we  are  told  that  before 
sailing,  either  Paul  or  Aquila  had  his  hair  cut  close,  because  of  a 
promise,  called  by  the  Jews  a  vow,  made  some  time  before.  With 
his  knowledge  of  the  folly  of  such  things,  it  is  not  likely  that  Paul 
was  the  one.  While  they  waited  for  a  favourable  wind,  there 
would  be  a  farewell  meeting  with  the  Christians  of  Cenchrea,  at 
which  Paul  would  speak.  This  is  from  one  of  his  letters  to  the 
men  of  Corinth  : — 

"  Blessed  be  God,  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  the  Christ,  the 
Father  of  mercy,  and  God  of  all  comfort ;  who  comforts  us  in  our 
affliction,  that  we  may  be  able  in  the  same  way  to  comfort  others 
who  are  afflicted.  As  we  suffer  for  the  Christ,  so  are  we  com- 
forted through  Him.  If  we  are  afflicted,  it  is  for  you ;  if  we  are 
comforted,  it  is  that  you  may  patiently  bear  the  same  suffering 
that  we  suffer.  And  our  hope  for  you  is  firm,  knowing  that  as 
you  share  the  suffering,  so  also  do  you  share  the  comfort. 

"  We  would  not  like  you  to  be  ignorant  of  the  affliction 
which  came  upon  us  in  Asia,  when  we  were  distressed  exceedingly, 
almost  beyond  power  to  bear,  so  that  we  despaired  even  of  life. 
We  seemed  to  have  the  sentence  of  death  within  us,  so  that  we 


AQUILA    THE    WEAVER.  319 

should  not  trust  in  ourselves,  but  in  God,  who  raised  Jesus  from 
the  dead,  and  delivered  us  out  of  so  great  a  death,  and  will  yet 
deliver.  For  we  have  set  our  hope  in  God  that  He  will  deliver 
us,  and  you  help  us  with  your  praj^ers. 

"  Having  a  good  conscience  before  God,  we  glory  in  this,  that 
in  holiness  and  sincerity,  not  in  man's  wisdom,  but  by  the  grace  of 
God,  we  behave  ourselves  in  the  world,  and  toward  you.  For  we 
say  nothing  else  to  you  than  what  you  acknowledge,  and  I  hope 
will  acknowledge  to  the  end,  that  you  glory  in  us,  as  we  do  in  you, 
in  this  the  day  of  our  Lord  Jesus." 

Embracing  their  friends  with  tears,  the  travellers  went  on 
board,  and  soon  the  white  sail  was  bulging  from  the  mast,  as 
the  ship  with  the  white  eye  on  the  bow  plunged  and  surged 
through  the  blue  water,  and  the  people  on  the  stone  quay  faded 
from  their  sight.  They  were  sailing  down  the  Gulf  of  Athens, 
across  which  he  had  come  not  two  years  before ;  and  as  he  passed 
the  island  of  Salamis,  he  could  see  the  hills  about  the  queen  of 
cities,  and  the  white  buildings  of  the  Acropolis,  and  catch  the  flash 
of  the  sunlight  on  the  polished  helmet  of  Minerva.  By  the  end 
of  the  day  they  would  be  at  Cape  Sunium,  where  Diana's  white 
temple  was  the  lighthouse  for  sailors.  The  course  from  that  point 
to  the  Bay  of  Ephesus  was  well  known,  for  in  summer  there  was 
a  constant  traffic  between  the  great  cities ;  and  Paul  saw  the 
setting  sun  purpling  the  mountains  on  the  mainland  of  Greece, 
and  steeping  the  water  with  hues  of  rose  and  crimson,  caught  from 
the  burning  sky.  And  again  he  would  sleep  in  a  heaving  boat, 
with  the  stars  throbbing  over  him. 

The  voyage  would  take  about  a  week,  sailing  on  the  sea  track 
from  Corinth,  the  capital  of  Achaia,  to  Ephesus,  the  still  greater 
capital  of  Asia.  Among  the  beautiful  islands  of  the  Cyclades 
they  would  find  shelter  and  an  anchorage  every  night,  for  pilgrims 
were  never  in  a  hurry,  and  captains  dreaded  sailing  at  night ;  and 
as  soon  as  the  yellow  dawn  came  streaming  through  the  islands, 
they  would  be  glad  to  rise  from  their  hard  couches,  for  then  the 
huge  sail  was  pulled  up  to  the  mast  and  the  anchor  taken  in. 

Paul  was  accustomed  to  the  sea,  and  would  enjoy  the  rest  and 
the  quiet  companionship  of  his  two  friends,  with  hot  days  of  sun- 
shine and  steady  breezes.  When  they  passed  the  long  islands  of 
Andros  and  Tinos,  there  was  nothing  between  them  and  Ephesus 
but  the  open  sea  with  its  white-crested  waves.  They  would  have 
to  spend  a  night  heaving  and  tossing  under  the  creaking  sail 
before  they  came  to  the  large  island  of  Samos,  ten  miles  from 
Ephesus,  and  by  that  time  they  had  crossed  from  Greece  to  Asia. 
Soon  they  were  sailing  cautiously  among  the  sandbanks  at  the 


320  AQUILA    THE    WEAVER. 

mouth  of  the  slow  river  Caystrus,  to  see  the  great  city  of  Ephesus 
on  a  plain  surrounded  with  hills,  some  tipped  with  snow  against  the 
blue  sky. 

The  ship  passed  up  the  river  and  canal,  and  between  the  towers 
at  the  entrance  of  a  huge  harbour  cut  out  of  the  land,  inside  of 
which  a  forest  of  masts  rocked  to  and  fro,  clad  with  the  white  and 
brown  folds  of  furled  sails,  for  the  ship  was  to  remain  at  Ephesus 
for  some  time.  Paul  and  his  friends  landed,  and  sought  their 
countrymen  in  the  city.  When  the  Sabbath  came  they  went  as 
usual  to  the  synagogue,  easily  known  by  the  vine  and  grapes 
over  the  door,  and  there  he  spoke  to  his  countrymen  of  the  life 
and  death  and  rising  of  Jesus,  and  that  He  was  the  promised 
Christ  of  the  Bible,  and  that  the  gospel  was  for  all  people  and  not 
for  Jews  only.  This  is  what  he  afterwards  wrote  to  the  Jews  of 
Rome : — 

"  What  advantage  has  a  Jew  over  a  foreigner  ?  or  what  is  the 
good  of  circumcision  1  Much  every  way.  First  of  all,  to  the  Jews 
were  entrusted  the  writings  inspired  of  God.  Although  some  of 
our  people  were  without  faith,  that  shall  not  turn  away  the  faith- 
fulness of  God.  Let  God  be  found  true,  though  every  man  were  a 
liar.  If  our  wickedness  shows  forth  the  righteousness  of  God, 
what  then  shall  we  say?  Is  God  unrighteous  for  punishing  evil? 
Speaking  as  a  man,  I  say,  God  forbid.  Or  how  shall  He  judge 
the  world  ?  But  if  the  truth  of  God  is  shown  forth  by  a  man's 
lie,  why  is  the  man  judged  as  a  sinner?  Why  not  do  evil,  that 
good  may  come?  as  our  enemies  slanderously  report  that  we  say. 
But  that  is  justly  condemned.  What  then  ?  are  we  Jews  in  a 
worse  position  than  strangers  1  No ;  for  both  Jews  and  strangers 
are  alike  under  sin  :  for  in  our  Bible  it  is  written.  There  is  no  man 
wholly  righteous,  no,  not  one;  there  is  none  that  understands, 
there  is  none  that  seeks  after  God.  The  paths  of  peace  they  have 
not  known,  and  there  is  no  fear  of  God  before  their  eyes." 

As  usual,  the  leaders  of  the  synagogue  asked  many  questions 
about  the  strange  news  he  brought,  and  they  discussed  his  answers 
in  a  friendly  way.  When  the  end  of  the  service  came,  they 
asked  him  to  come  back  and  tell  them  more  about  the  new  gospel ; 
and  he  told  them  he  could  not,  as  he  had  to  go  on  with  the  ship 
to  be  in  time  for  the  Passover,  but  that  he  would  return  again. 
Aquila  and  his  wife,  however,  were  going  to  remain  and  work  in 
Ephesus. 

And  so  Paul  kissed  his  companions  and  bade  them  farewell,  for 
he  was  going  on  alone  amid  a  crowd  of  pilgrims.  The  ship  was 
hauled  out  of  the  harbour  and  rowed  down  the  canal  and  the 
winding  river  to  the  sea,  and  then  the  sail  was  hoisted,  with  the 


FALSE    CHRISTIANS    AT   WORK.  321 

Steersman  standing  high  at  the  stern,  shouting,  and  straining  at  his 
steering  oar,  as  he  turned  the  ship's  head  towards  the  narrow 
channel  between  Samos  and  the  land,  with  John's  blue  isle  of 
Patmos  thirty  miles  in  front  of  them.  And  thus  the  second  part 
of  the  voyage  was  begun,  which  was  to  end  at  Csesarea  in 
Palestine. 


False  Christians  at  Work. 

EPHESUS  :    AGED    50-60. 

THE  wind  seems  to  have  favoured  the  ship  crowded  with 
Jewish  pilgrims  going  to  the  Passover.  The  distance  from 
Ephesus  to  Csesarea  is  over  six  hundred  miles,  so  that  they  could 
not  go  in  less  than  fourteen  days,  and  might  be  much  longer. 
Although  they  were  sailing  along  the  coast  of  Asia,  they  were 
never  far  from  islands,  and  as  one  faded  in  the  crimson  and 
purple  of  evening  behind  them,  the  dawn  revealed  another  lying 
like  a  small  blue  cloud  in  the  sea,  so  that  for  the  first  week  they 
never  lacked  a  shelter  for  the  night.  Before  the  week  was  over 
they  had  left  Rhodes  behind,  the  last  and  largest  of  the  beautiful 
islands  of  the  ^gean,  and  were  heading  into  the  wide  Mediter- 
ranean, with  no  islands  in  sight  They  had  now  to  sail  by  night 
and  day,  with  blue  billows  swelling  round  them;  and  for  a  small 
boat  with  only  one  sail,  no  compass,  an  oar  to  steer  with,  and 
fiilled  with  pilgrims,  it  w^as  a  serious  thing  to  venture  far  from 
the  land. 

Did  Paul  speak  to  his  fellow-countrymen  during  those  long, 
monotonous  days  at  sea?  We  know  he  did  on  his  voyage  to 
Rome.  If  he  spoke  to  them  of  Jesus  as  the  Christ,  they  would 
listen,  for  even  in  a  synagogue  they  listened.  If  he  spoke  to  the 
Greek  sailors  about  the  living  God,  to  whom  they  should  pray 
rather  than  to  bronze  images  of  Neptune  in  the  seaport,  or  to 
the  little  image  fixed  on  the  bow  of  the  boat,  they  would  listen, 
and  his  countrymen  would  admire.  The  boat  swung  to  and  fro 
over  the  billows  as  the  great  sail  filled  and  slackened  with  the 
wind,  and  the  sun  beat  down  from  a  cloudless  sky  upon  them  as 
they  sat  crowded  together,  listening  to  the  strange  Jew.  This  is 
from  one  of  his  letters,  referring  to  a  favourite  saying  of  Jesus  : — 

"  Owe  no  man  anything,  but  to  love  one  another  :  for  he  who 
loves  his  neighbour  keeps  every  law.  All  these  commandments, 
Thou  shalt  not  be  unfaithful.  Thou  shalt  not  kill.  Thou  shalt  not 
steal.  Thou  shalt  not  covet,  and  all  the  other  commandments,  are 

(1.040  21 


322  FALSE    CHRISTIANS    AT    WORK. 

contained  in  this,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself.  A 
man  who  loves  his  neighbour  will  do  him  no  hurt :  love,  there- 
fore, is  the  keeping  of  all  the  commandments.  It  is  high  time 
for  you  to  wake  out  of  sleep,  knowing  that  salvation  is  near. 
The  night  is  far  spent,  and  the  day  is  at  hand  :  cast  off  your  cloaks 
of  darkness,  and  put  on  the  clothing  of  light.  Live  honestly  in 
the  daylight ;  not  in  revelling  and  drunkenness,  in  sleeping  and 
carelessness,  in  quarrelUng  and  jealousy.  Be  clothed  with  the 
Lord  Jesus  the  Christ,  and  give  up  your  old  sinful  life."  Thus 
he  held  up  to  these  rough  men  the  higher  life  in  Jesus  the  Christ. 

There  were  no  longer  ranges  of  snow-tipped  mountains,  wooded 
glens,  and  purple  islands  in  sight ;  but  soon  the  hills  of  Cyprus  rose 
out  of  the  sea,  the  home  of  Barnabas,  who  was  perhaps  there  as 
they  sailed  by.  Did  Barnabas  go  with  Luke  to  see  the  Roman 
governor  Paulus  in  yonder  town  of  Paphos,  with  its  white  walls, 
flat-roofed  houses,  and  glittering  spires,  past  which  they  were 
sailing?  The  beautiful  mountains  of  Cyprus  lost  their  ragged 
shapes  of  crag  and  cliff  in  the  soft  hues  of  distance,  as  the  moun- 
tains of  Palestine  rose  in  front  of  them.  Th*e  were  no  islands, 
no  sandbanks  to  avoid  as  the  ship  sailed  right  in  from  the  sea, 
between  the  stone  towers  of  the  great  harbour  of  Csesarea,  which 
Paul  knew  so  well. 

He  did  not  remain  in  the  town,  but  went  up  at  once  with  the 
pilgrims  for  Jerusalem  by  the  soldiers'  paved  road.  They  who  had 
been  so  crowded  in  the  ship  were  now  a  joyous  band,  singing  the 
Passover  psalms  as  they  climbed  into  the  green  hills  of  Samaria, 
for  they  were  going  to  a  joyous  festival  in  the  only  true  temple 
in  the  world.  All  others  were  to  them  the  temples  of  idols,  but 
theirs  was  the  very  house  of  God.  On  the  last  day  they  rested, 
and  sacks  and  bundles  were  turned  out,  and  travel-stained  gar- 
ments changed  for  their  brightest  and  best  clothes,  as  with  fresh 
songs  they  started  again,  to  end  with  shouting  and  waving  of 
green  branches  when  the  beloved  city  of  their  dreams  came  into 
view.  Did  Paul  sing  and  wave  a  green  branch,  as  when  a  boy  ? 
It  is  not  likely.  Since  last  his  eyes  rested  on  these  spikes  of  gold, 
he  had  seen  the  Parthenon,  the  temples  of  Corinth  and  Ephesus, 
and  a  hundred  others,  large  and  small ;  and  he  had  told  the 
philosophers  of  Athens, — 

"  God  dwelleth  not  in  temples  made  with  hands  ;  neither  is  He 
served  by  men's  hands,  as  though  He  needed  anything,  seeing  that 
He  gives  us  life,  and  breath,  and  all  things." 

He  had  not  been  in  Jerusalem  for  three  years.  When  he  was 
last  there,  the  wintry  snows  were  lying  white  on  the  hills  of 
Lebanon  and  Carmel,  and  the  brook   Kedron  was  a  brimming 


FALSE    CHKISTIANS    AT    WORK.  323 

torrent.  He  came  then  to  complain  of  Jews  who  had  travelled 
from  Jerusalem  to  Antioch  to  spoil  his  work  among  the  people  of 
that  city,  and  he  left  with  a  letter  that  was  to  put  an  end  to  all 
such  troubles.  What  brought  him  in  such  haste  to  Jerusalem  at 
this  time  we  do  not  know,  but  he  at  once  sought  the  apostles,  and 
James,  the  chief  elder,  who  would  be  in  the  temple  all  day  at  that 
Passover  time.  Nor  do  we  know  what  passed  between  them.  We 
hear  nothing  of  his  attending  a  meeting  to  tell  them  of  his  won- 
derful success,  nothing  of  his  remaining  for  the  Passover  festival, 
nothing  of  his  offering  the  sacrifices  always  connected  with  a  vow. 
He  greeted  the  apostles,  and  learned  something  which  caused  him 
to  leave  at  once.  He  seems  to  have  had  a  very  colourless  re- 
ception, and  there  is  little  doubt  that  what  he  heard  was  that  the 
Pharisee  Christians  were  out  again  against  him,  this  time  visiting 
all  the  congregations  he  had  formed  in  foreign  places,  and  telling 
them  that  his  teaching  was  false,  and  that  foreigners  could  not  be 
Christians  without  receiving  the  mark  of  a  Jew  and  keeping  the 
Jewish  religious  law.  The  smouldering  fire  had  burst  into  fiame 
again. 

What  he  saw  at  this  time  in  Jerusalem  satisfied  him  that 
the  free  gospel  of  Jesus  must  not  in  any  way  be  bound  by  the 
Jewish  religious  law,  and  that  those  who  had  gone  out  to  say 
otherwise  must  be  pursued  and  routed.  They  had  torn  up  the 
compact  contained  in  James's  letter,  and  had  declared  war  against 
him  and  all  foreign  Christians.  It  was  a  life-and-death  struggle, 
and  they  had  a  year's  start  of  him. 

Once  more  in  haste,  and  with  a  troubled  heart,  he  turned  his 
back  on  Jerusalem,  the  city  of  his  youthful  dreams,  wliich  looked 
so  different,  now  that  he  had  seen  it  from  far  lands.  He  was 
going  back  to  Antioch,  the  city  of  Christians  who  followed  his 
teaching.  The  false  Christians  had  gone  thither  first,  to  pull  down, 
if  they  could,  what  he,  Barnabas,  Silas,  and  Peter  had  built  up. 

He  was  in  haste  to  get  back  ;  and  as  he  was  familiar  with  the 
voyage,  we  need  not  doubt  that  he  was  soon  down  in  Csesarea 
again,  looking  with  impatience  on  the  tossing  sea  beyond  the 
breakwater,  and  waiting  for  a  ship  and  a  fair  wind  to  carry  him 
in  a  week  to  Seleucia.  It  was  the  time  of  year  when  shipping 
was  busy,  and  he  would  not  have  to  wait  long  until  a  ship  sailed 
in  that  was  going  northwards.  And  again,  in  a  swaying,  tossing 
vessel  with  a  white  eye  on  the  bow,  he  was  coasting  along  the 
shores  of  Palestine,  past  the  smoking  towns  of  Tyre  and  Sidon, 
and  the  Syrian  coast,  with  snow-capped  Hermon  in  view,  until 
they  sailed  through  the  waves  breaking  over  the  sandbanks  at  the 
wide  mouth  of  the  Orontes,  and  into  the  harbour  of  Seleucia.     A 


324  CHRISTIANITY    FREE    OR    FETTERED? 

day's  ride  up  through  green,  wooded  ravines,  and  he  arrived  in 
his  brown  cloak,  leading  his  ass  over  the  bridge  of  spans,  and 
along  the  street  of  Antioch,  with  its  shaded  pavements  and 
marble  pillars. 


Christianity   Free  or   Fettered? 

ANTIOCH  :    AGED    50-60. 

ONCE  more  he  was  in  the  city  where  Christians  were  freer, 
stronger,  and  richer  than  anywhere  else.  Three  years  ago 
he  left  with  Silas  to  visit  the  congregations  in  Syria  and  Asia, 
but  he  had  gone  far  beyond  that,  and  was  back  alone.  The 
Christians  would  gather  in  their  meeting-place  to  hear  the  account 
of  his  travels.  We  read  it  now  with  deep  interest,  but  what 
would  it  be  to  have  heard  it  from  his  glowing  lips  for  the  first 
time,  as  these  people  heard'?  He  had  much  to  tell  of  towns 
visited,  mountains  climbed,  seas  crossed,  dangers  from  robbers, 
Jews,  rioters,  and  wild  beasts ;  for  he  was  shipwrecked  and  in 
danger  of  his  life  more  often  than  we  have  any  account  of.  But 
that  was  as  nothing  to  the  news  of  Troy,  Athens,  Ephesus 
visited,  and  congregations  formed  in  Philippi,  Thessalonica,  Berea, 
Corinth,  Cenchrea.  They  heard  of  Aquila  and  Priscilla  the 
weavers,  Timothy  of  Lystra,  Crispus  of  Corinth,  Dionysius  of 
Athens,  Lydia  of  Philippi,  Phoebe  of  Cenchrea,  Jason  of  Thessa- 
lonica, Luke  the  physician,  Gallio  the  E-oman,  and  many  more. 
And  they  rejoiced  greatly  that  the  glorious  gospel  had  been  spread 
so  far  by  one  who  went  out  from  them. 

But  they  too  had  cheering  news.  Their  congregation  was 
growing  great,  and  sending  out  messengers  to  other  parts,  after 
his  example.  They  also  had  news  of  the  false  Christians  from 
Jerusalem,  who  had  visited  them  and  passed  on,  to  spoil  the 
distant  congregations  which  he  had  formed.  But  it  was  not 
until  he  met  some  one  from  Galatia — probably  Timothy — that  he 
learned  the  full  mischief  they  were  doing  in  blackening  him  and 
his  gospel  with  lies,  and  of  the  great  clanger  that  was  threatening 
all  his  work.  The  purpose  of  these  false  Jews  was  to  turn  his 
converts  back  into  idolaters,  if  they  would  not  become  Jewish 
Christians.  What  Jesus  said  of  the  Pharisees  was  true  of  them 
also — "  They  would  go  over  sea  and  land  to  get  one  convert,  and 
would  make  him  twice  as  bad  as  themselves." 

The  meanness  and  fanatical  malevolence  of  these  men  in 
tracking  Paul  over  mountain,  valley,  and  sea,  in  order  to  blast 


CHRISTIANITY    FRE:^    OR    FETTERED?  S25 

the  work  and  blacken  the  name  of  the  man  who  first  brought 
the  light  of  God  into  these  lands,  is  the  darkest  page  of  the  early 
Christian  chronicle ;  and  when  we  find  him  taking  vigorous  action 
and  using  violent  language,  we  must  remember  what  they  were 
doing.  He  and  Silas  had  gone  round  the  Galatian  congregations, 
loyally  reading  James's  letter  of  compromise,  little  thinking  that 
they  were  being  followed  by  their  opponents,  who  were  outraging 
the  compact.  How  soon,  alas,  were  the  blades  of  Christians 
turned,  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  against  each  other,  under  the^  titles 
of  Circumcision  and  Uncircumcision  !  And  do  we  not  see  it  still 
in  the  great  Catholic  and  Protestant  camps  ? 

These  were  the  false  and  extreme  men,  but  there  were  good 
men  also  among  the  Jewish  Christians  in  Jerusalem  who  favoured 
circumcision  and  obedience  to  the  law,  of  whom  were  Mark  and 
Justus.  Paul,  Silas,  Peter,  and  Barnabas  were  against  them,  and 
James  took  a  middle  course.  Paul  was  reaching  out  into  freedom 
and  light;  they  were  striving  to  keep  up  the  Jewish  barriers 
against  the  world  outside.  Disputes  of  a  like  kind  have  been 
renewed  from  time  to  time  as  the  light  of  Christianity  streamed 
over  the  world — men  seeking,  with  rules,  ceremonies,  standards, 
and  tests,  to  make  fences  that  ever  must  go  down. 

Paul  talked  with  his  friends  at  Antioch,  and  saw  that  vigorous 
action  would  have  to  be  taken  to  defend  true  Christianity  from 
the  attacks  of  these  false  men.  They  had  broken  up  the  half- 
hearted compromise  of  James,  and  he  would  draw  back  to  the 
position  which  he,  Peter,  and  Barnabas  advocated  at  Jerusalem 
three  years  ago,  and  he  had  taught— that  no  one  required  to 
be  circumcised  or  bound  to  keep  the  Jewish  religious  law  in  order 
to  be  a  Christian. 

What  were  these  false  Jews  saying  to  the  Galatian  Christians 
about  Paul  and  his  work  1  That  he  told  lies  when  he  said  they 
did  not  need  to  be  circumcised,  for  he  had  circumcised  Timothy 
himself.  That  Christianity  was  a  Jewish  religion,  and  no  foreigner 
could  join  unless  he  promised  to  keep  their  religious  laws.  That 
in  the  letter  Paul  had  read  to  them  from  James,  he  agreed  to  the 
Jewish  law  about  not  eating  flesh  that  was  strangled,  or  food  with 
blood  in  it,  or  meat  that  had  been  put  before  idols.  Jesus  was 
circumcised,  and  was  a  son  of  the  law.  Who  was  this  man  Paul  1 
When  the  apostles  were  defending  Christianity,  he  was  a  Jewish 
rabbi,  who  went  from  place  to  place  persecuting  Christians,  and 
making  them  curse  the  name  of  Jesus.  The  apostles  who  lived 
with  Jesus  were  the  only  apostles.  Paul  was  not  an  apostle, 
for  he  had  never  heard  or  seen  Jesus.  All  that  he  learned  of 
Christianity  was  got  from  them  at  Jerusalem.     He  was  not  sent 


S26  "O   FOOLISH   GALATIANSl" 

out  by  the  apostles,  and  had  no  power  or  right  to  teach  what  tliey 
did  not  approve  of.  He  was  a  man  of  very  common  appearance, 
too,  and  a  poor  speaker,  who  did  not  deserve  to  he  listened  to. 

Half  truths  and  half  lies  are  an  awkward  tangle,  and  it 
was  a  web  of  this  kind  that  these  spider  Pharisees  wove 
wherever  they  went.  They  also  lived  with  Paul's  converts,  and 
at  their  expense,  while  they  taught  them  Jewish  Christianity ; 
and  coming  with  a  show  of  authority  from  Jerusalem,  they  made 
a  great  impression.  They  may  even  have  thought  they  were  doing 
a  great  work  in  saving  men  from  Paul's  kind  of  Christianity,  as 
they  strove  in  his  absence  to  turn  his  congregations  into  Jewish 
synagogues. 

Paul  was  grieved  beyond  words  at  the  deception  these  men 
had  played  upon  him.  He  had  fought  them  in  Jerusalem  and 
Antioch,  and  he  would  have  to  follow  and  fight  them  still.  The 
future  of  Clu^stianity  depended  upon  it,  and  there  was  no  use 
going  with  coiiiplaiuts  to  Jerusalem.  He  must  be  free  if  he  was 
to  set  Christianity  free. 


*'0   Foolish   Qalatians!" 

ANTIOCH:     AGED    50-60. 

THESE  Pharisee  Christians  who  were  attacking  Paul  were  not 
like  Peter,  good  men  to  be  argued  with.  They  were  bad 
men,  to  be  followed,  their  teaching  exposed,  their  conduct  attacked ; 
for  they  wished  to  put  Jesus  in  the  background,  and  the  Jewish 
law  in  front.  But  with  Paul,  Jesus  was  everything,  and  men  must 
know  that  the  one  was  Christianity,  the  other  Judaism.  He 
settled  that  with  himself  twenty  years  ago — Jesus  or  the  Jewish 
law,  freedom  or  fetters — and  there  was  no  middle  course.  Hence- 
forth he  would  look  at  it  as  a  foreigner,  a  Greek,  a  Roman,  or  a 
Briton,  to  whom  the  Jewish  laws  and  customs  were  unknown. 

Twenty  years  ago  was  the  turning-point  in  his  life.  Now 
had  come  the  turning-point  of  Christianity.  Was  it  to  be 
Jewish,  or  was  it  to  be  universal  1  With  mind  clear,  illuminated 
from  on  high,  he  wrote  down  his  thoughts,  and  the  Christianity 
which  we  follow  in  England  to-day  is  Christ  as  seen  and  ex- 
plained by  Paul  in  his  priceless  letter  to  the  Galatian  Christians. 
He  did  not  know  how  long  it  might  be  before  he  could  visit  them, 
and  so  he  wrote  a  proclamation  to  be  read  in  their  congregations, 
to  prepare  them  for  his  coming. 


"O   FOOLISH    GALATIANS!"  327 

You  will  only  get  here  the  business  outline  of  this  great  letter, 
leaving  over  portions  for  the  occasions  when  he  spoke  to  the 
Christians  of  Galatia  face  to  face.  The  whole  letter  you  will 
read  in  your  Bible.  At  first  he  does  not  argue,  but  uses  strong 
words — vehement,  sarcastic,  tender ;  then  he  pleads  in  something 
of  his  old  rabbinic  style  of  discussion.  The  attack  was  upon  him 
alone,  and  he  joins  no  one  in  his  defence.  His  enemies  said  every- 
where that  he  was  not  an  apostle — that  is,  not  one  sent  out  to 
preach — and  the  first  sentence  contains  his  answer, — 

"  Paul,  an  apostle  (not  one  made  by  men,  nor  through  men,  but 
through  Jesus  the  Christ,  and  God  the  Father),  and  all  the  Christ- 
ians with  me  at  Antioch,  join  in  wishing  the  grace  and  peace  of 
God  to  be  upon  all  the  Christians  of  Galatia." 

He  is  astonished  that  they  should  have  so  soon  turned  away 
after  other  teaching ;  for  the  gospel  which  he  taught  them  was  not 
his  own,  but  the  gospel  of  Jesus  the  Christ.  He  tells  them  the 
story  of  how  he  came  to  be  a  teacher  of  Christianity,  and  of  the 
discussions  which  he  had  with  Peter  and  the  other  apostles  about 
circumcision  and  the  law,  in  which  it  was  agreed  that  they  were 
unnecessary.  They  were  foolish  Galatians  for  leaving  the  spirituals 
teaching  about  Jesus  which  he  taught  them  for  the  lifeless,  legaif- 
teaching  of  these  Pharisee  Christians.  Faith  in  Jesus  was  Chris- 
tianity, not  obedience  to  Jewish  laws.  Having  been  made  free  by 
Jesus,  why  should  they  wish  to  entangle  themselves  in  the  bondage 
of  the  Jewish  law  ?  They  were  running  well  in  the  Christian  race  : 
why  should  they  turn  aside  now  ? 

The  letter  is  like  a  spoken  address,  and  was  dictated  probably 
to  his  young  friend  Timothy,  sitting  under  the  shade  of  broad- 
leaved  vines,  trained  over  the  flat  house  roof,  so  as  to  make  a 
retired  bower  of  the  coolest ;  for  it  was  early  summer,  and  the 
little  grapes  were  hanging  in  green  bunches.  The  letter  was 
written,  corrected,  and  copied,  and  Paul  took  the  reed  pen  to 
sign ;  but  his  friends  saw  that  he  was  taking  a  long  time,  and 
when  he  finished,  this  was  what  he  had  written,  in  large  black 
letters  : — 

"  See  with  what  large  letters  I  write  to  you  with  mine  own 
hand.  They  who  wish  to  make  a  show  would  compel  you  to  be 
circumcised,  that  they  and  you  may  not  be  persecuted  for  Jesus' 
sake.  But  they  are  hypocrites  :  for  although  they  are  circumcised, 
they  do  not  keep  the  Jewish  law ;  but  they  wish  to  have  you 
circumcised,  that  they  may  boast  of  having  won  you  over.  Far 
be  it  from  me  to  glory  in  anything  but  Jesus.  Through  His 
Spirit  all  worldly  glory  is  as  dead  to  me,  and  I  to  it.  Being 
circumcised  or  not  being  circumcised  matters  nothing ;  but  a  life 


328  BREAKING   THE    FIRST   THREAD. 

made  new  by  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  is  everything.  May  peace  and 
mercy  be  upon  as  many  as  are  guided  by  this  rule,  for  they  are  the 
true  people  of  God.  After  this  let  no  man  trouble  me  with  these 
questions :  for  like  a  slave  I  bear  about  on  my  body  the  marks 
I  have  received  for  Jesus'  sake.  Brothers,  may  the  grace  of  Jesus 
be  with  you." 

And  thus  once  for  all  he  wrote  down  the  position  of 
Christianity  towards  Judaism.  They  were  not  the  same  thing 
grown  larger.  Jewish  Christianity  said  that  Jesus  was  the  Jewish 
Messiah,  and  all  who  believed  it  must  receive  the  mark,  and  obey 
the  Jewish  religious  law.  And  so  they  sought  to  weld  Jesus  and 
the  Christians  into  the  great  body  of  the  Jewish  Church,  keeping 
up  the  system  of  laws,  rules,  and  traditions  as  the  chief  thing, 
and  welcoming  Jesus  as  One  who  obeyed  and  supported  them. 
But  Paul  said,  "  No ;  He  denounced  your  rules,  and  you  crucified 
Him.  There  is  another  and  a  better  way  than  obedience  to  the 
Jewish  law :  the  way  of  faith  in  Jesus,  and  following  Him."  It 
was  system  against  Saviour,  theory  against  example,  dead  rules 
against  a  living  life.  The  rules  of  men  must  stand  aside,  that 
the  living  example  of  God  may  prevail.  In  making  this  clear, 
Paul  diverted  the  stream,  turning  it  into  ever-broadening  channels. 


Breaking  the  First  Thread. 

ANTIOCH  :    AGED  50-60. 

A  MESSENGER  carried  the  letter  to  the  Christians  of  Galatia, 
to  read  it  in  every  congregation;  and  it  would  create  a 
good  deal  of  alarm,  especially  when  he  said  that  Paul  was  also 
coming.  But  Paul  was  going  first  to  Ephesus,  as  promised,  where 
they  had  received  him  so  well ;  and  this  time  his  journey  would  be 
by  land,  as  he  had  so  many  places  to  visit  in  following  up  the  track 
of  the  false  Christians.  It  was  now  early  summer,  and  the  dusty 
roads  were  busy  with  travellers,  merchants,  soldiers  going  from 
place  to  place,  and  bands  of  chained  slaves  also.  The  fields  were 
still  green,  although  the  blossoms  of  cream  and  crimson  had  faded 
from  tree  and  bush,  but  by  the  streams  in  the  shaded  clefts  of  the 
rocks  the  marigolds  tossed  their  golden  discs  and  the  narcissus 
spread  white  wings. 

After  staying  a  little  longer  at  Antioch,  Paul  felt  that  the 
s^eason  for  travelling  was  passing,  and  that  he  must  leave  them. 
We  may  be  certain  that  the  Christians  were  sorry  to  lose  him 


BREAKING    THE    FIRST    THREAD.  329 

SO  soon,  for  he  was  going  on  a  journey  of  more  than  five  hundred 
miles  to  the  capital  of  Asia,  over  mountains,  valleys,  and  rivers, 
by  lonely  and  dangerous  roads.  And  we  may  be  sure  that  they 
had  a  farewell  meeting  in  the  night  to  pray  for  him  and  his 
companions,  and  it  is  probable  that  Timothy  went  with  him. 
They  did  not  know,  these  men  of  Antioch,  that  they  would  never 
hear  Paul's  voice  again  ;  for  the  Jew  in  the  brown  cloak  would 
not  return.  What  did  he  say,  as  he  faced  that  crowd  of  men 
and  women,  not  sitting  with  bowed  heads,  as  in  a  synagogue,  but 
with  eyes  fixed  on  his  face  1  He  would  speak  to  them  just  as  he 
wrote.  This  is  from  one  of  his  letters,  in  which  he  speaks  of  the 
saying  of  Jesus  at  Capernaum,  that  nothing  which  a  man  eats  can 
make  him  good  or  bad,  for  that  was  denied  by  the  false  Jews  : — 

"Receive  men  into  the  congregation  who  are  weak  in  faith, 
but  not  to  dispute  with  them.  For  one  man  has  faith  to  eat  every 
kind  of  food  :  another,  who  is  weak,  will  eat  herbs  only.  But  let 
them  not  despise  each  other  because  of  that :  for  God  has  received 
them  both.  Who  are  you,  to  judge  another  man?  To  his  own 
God  he  shall  stand  or  fall.  One  man  thinks  one  day  better  than 
another,  and  another  man  thinks  all  days  are  alike.  Every  man 
should  be  satisfied  of  this  in  his  ow^n  mind ;  for  whoever  keeps 
one  day,  does  it  for  the  sake  of  God.  The  man  who  eats  any  kind 
of  food,  and  the  man  who  does  not,  both  do  it  for  the  sake  of 
God,  giving  Him  thanks.  We  cannot  live  or  die  for  ourselves 
alone,  but  unto  God  :  for  whether  we  live  or  die,  we  are  His. 
Jesus  died,  and  lived  again,  that  He  might  be  the  Lord  of  the 
dead  and  the  living.  Why  do  you  judge  your  brother  Christian, 
and  why  do  you  despise  him?  We  shall  stand  to  be  judged  of 
God,  and  each  of  us  will  have  to  give  an  account  of  himself. 

"Therefore  let  us  no  more  judge  each  other;  but  rather  be 
careful  that  no  one  puts  a  snare  in  his  neighbour's  way,  or  a 
thing  to  fall  over.  I  know,  and  am  satisfied  in  Jesus,  that  no 
food  is  unclean  :  but  if  any  man  thinks  it  is,  to  him  it  becomes 
unclean.  If  you  grieve  your  neighbour  by  eating  certain  meat, 
you  are  not  treating  him  lovingly.  Do  not  injure,  with  eating 
thy  meat,  one  for  whom  Jesus  died.  Let  not  your  good  life  be 
spoken  against :  for  the  kingdom  of  God  is  not  eating  and  drink- 
ing ;  but  righteousness,  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God. 
He  that  serves  Jesus  in  such  things  will  be  pleasing  to  God,  and 
liked  of  men. 

"  Follow  after  the  things  which  make  for  peace,  and  by  which 
we  may  do  good  to  one  another ;  and  do  not  overthrow  the  work 
of  God  for  the  sake  of  meat.  All  food  is  clean;  but  it  is  not 
right  to  give  offence  to  another  by  our  eating.     It  is  neither  good 


330  OVER    THE    BLACK    MOUNTAINS. 

to  eat  flesh,  drink  wine,  nor  do  anything  which  causes  your  neigh- 
bour to  do  wrong.  Your  faith  is  a  thing  betw(^en  yourself  and 
God.  Happy  is  he  who  does  not  feel  any  blame  in  himself ;  but 
he  who  has  doubts  is  to  be  blamed  if  he  eats,  because  he  thinks  he 
is  doing  wrong.      Whatever  is  not  of  faith  is  of  evil." 

With  laying  on  of  hands,  these  men  of  Antioch  would  pray  for 
a  blessing  upon  Paul  and  his  companions ;  and  then  the  meeting 
would  break  up,  many  accompanying  them  a  part  of  their  way  at 
daybreak.  They  were  rich,  and  would  see  them  mounted  on  good 
asses,  and  well  provided  with  cloaks  and  strong  sandals,  and  with 
changes  of  clothing  in  a  sack,  and  wine  and  oil  in  skins,  and  some 
dried  corn,  flour,  and  fruit.  Their  rolls  of  books,  too,  would  be 
wrapped  in  a  haircloth  cover ;  nor  would  they  be  without  a  tent, 
perhaps  of  Paul's  own  making,  and  ropes  and  tent-sticks  to  put  it 
up.  So  that  their  asses  would  be  well  laden  as  they  rode  out  by 
the  north  gate  of  the  city,  surrounded  by  a  company  of  Christians, 
with  garments  of  red  and  yellow  and  bright  blue,  some  weeping, 
and  all  seeking  to  embrace  the  travellers  before  they  turned 
away.  Well  may  they  look  after  the  brave  figure  in  the  brown 
cloak  until  he  goes  round  a  turn  of  the  road,  for  they  will  never 
see  him  again.  As  he  disappears,  a  thread  breaks  in  his  web  of 
life. 


Over  the  Black  Mountains. 

ANTIOCH  :    AGED   50-60. 

WALKING  by  his  ass's  head,  the  rope  in  his  hand,  his  grey 
eyes  shaded  by  a  striped  kerchief  of  black  and  yellow, 
Paul  looks  over  the  yellow  plain  of  Antioch  to  the  blue  hills 
beyond.  He  is  going  for  the  third  time  through  the  Cilician 
gates  to  Derbe,  and  we  have  now  reached  that  pathetic  point 
in  his  life,  as  it  is  in  the  life  of  all  of  us,  when  scenes  are 
being  visited  and  farewells  taken  for  the  last  time.  He  had 
laboured  long  in  Syria,  Galatia,  and  Asia,  raising  up  many  who 
would  carry  on  the  work,  and  he  was  about  to  pass  through 
them  once  more,  and  root  out  the  tares  that  his  enemies  had 
sown  in  his  fields  of  wheat ;  but  he  was  looking  towards 
things  beyond.  Rome,  the  capital  of  the  world,  was  drawing 
him,  and  visions  of  Rome  were  before  his  eyes. 

At  dawn  he  had  come  out  through  the  low  archway  of  the  city 
gate,  amid  a  crush  of  camels,  horses,  asses,  mules,  all  laden  for  a 
journey,  with  their  drivers  shouting  round  them,  for  their  road 


OVER    THE    BLACK    MOUNTAINS.  S31 

was  along  tlie  great  Roman  highway  through  the  country.  He 
knew  it  well,  for  it  was  only  three  years  since  he  and  Silas 
went  together  on  the  same  journey  to  visit  the  congregations. 
Over  the  narrow  Orontes  bridge,  along  by  the  blue  lake,  and  on 
through  Syria  they  rode,  and  up  into  the  wild  gorges  that  led  to 
the  Syrian  gates,  the  only  pass  in  the  Amanus  Mountains,  and 
down  the  gorges  again  on  the  other  side,  the  Taurus  Mountains 
behind  Tarsus  kindling  into  flame  each  evening  as  the  sun  went 
down.  Crossing  the  plains  of  Cilicia,  through  familiar  towns, 
and  clattering  over  stone  bridges  which  he  had  so  often  crossed 
as  a  boy,  in  about  a  week's  time  they  were  riding  into  Tarsus. 

There  they  would  rest,  for  there  were  friends  of  his  boyhood 
still  glad  to  see  the  grey-haired  traveller  whose  love  for  Jesus 
kept  him  moving  in  ever-widening  circles.  Here  again  were 
the  familiar  streets,  houses,  gardens,  sparkling  river  fed  by  the 
melting  snows  among  the  mist-shrouded  mountains,  the  synagogue 
where  he  first  worshipped,  the  school  where  he  learned  to  read,  the 
house  where  he  was  born.  Again  he  would  go  to  the  dark  little 
synagogue,  where,  as  an  earnest  boy,  he  stood  to  have  the  phy- 
lacteries bound  on  his  arm  by  the  old  rabbi,  who  no  longer  sat 
before  the  purple  curtain,  for  other  men  were  there.  What  he 
said  to  them  would  be  the  thoughts  of  his  letters  in  different 
words  : — 

"  For  we  know  that  if  the  temple  of  our  body  be  dissolved,  we 
have  another  from  God,  a  house  not  made  with  hands,  enduring 
in  the  heavens.  We  long  to  be  clothed  of  God  with  the  raiment 
of  heaven,  if  so  be  that  we  shall  be  found  worthy.  For  indeed 
we  groan  under  burdens,  wishing  that  our  mortal  bodies  might 
be  changed  into  life  everlasting.  And  God  prepares  us  for  this 
change  by  giving  us  of  His  Spirit.  Be  of  good  courage,  knowing 
that,  while  we  are  here,  we  are  absent  from  Him,  and  we  would 
rather  leave  this  life  and  be  at  home  with  Him.  But  we  must 
make  it  our  aim,  wherever  we  are,  to  please  Him.  For  all  that 
we  do  must  be  made  known  before  the  judgment  seat  of  the 
Christ ;  that  each  may  receive  the  reward  for  the  things  done  in 
this  life,  according  to  what  we  have  done,  whether  good  or  bad." 

Again  he  bade  farewell  to  his  friends  in  the  city  of  which  he 
was  proud  ;  and  as  he  rode  up  the  familiar  way  by  the  river,  over 
which  the  bare  feet  of  the  boy  had  so  often  sped,  another  thread 
breaks  of  his  life-web,  for  he  will  never  be  there  again.  They  were 
then  riding  tov/ards  the  wild  path  into  the  mountains  up  which 
he  had  often  toiled,  leading  his  father's  laden  asses,  and  he  looked 
back  for  the  last  time  upon  the  winding  river  and  white-walled 
town.       Henceforth   his   feet   will   touch   far-distant   roads,  and 


332  «i  AM  astonished!" 

tread  the  streets  of  strange  cities,  but  never  the  streets  of  Tarsus. 
His  heart  is  strong,  for  he  does  not  know  it,  as  he  turns  and 
rides  on. 

Stumbling,  slipping,  struggling  up  the  narrow  path  above  the 
roaring  torrent,  through  the  dark  pass  of  the  dread  Cilician  gates, 
that  marked  the  boundary  between  the  provinces  of  Cilicia  and 
Cappadocia,  they  toiled  in  midsummer  heat  so  great  that  they 
would  have  to  rest  for  hours  at  mid-day.  Again  they  followed 
the  dusty  caravan  road  down  to  the  plains,  and  over  the  boundary 
line  of  the  kingdom  of  Antiochus,  and  into  the  province  of  Galatia; 
and  a  few  hours'  riding  would  bring  them  to  Derbe,  where  they 
had  many  friends.  It  was  just  three  years  since  Silas  and  he 
read  James's  letter  to  them,  and  only  a  few  months  ago  they  had 
heard  Paul's  letter,  and  now  had  come  the  man  himself.  The 
false  Jews  were  not  there,  for  we  hear  of  no  discussion  or  disput- 
ing, and  the  Chris-tians  would  be  glad  to  see  Paul,  in  his  brown 
cloak,  who  had  come  so  far  to  set  their  minds  at  rest* 


•*  I   am   Astonished  I  " 

DERBE  :    AGED    50-60. 

THE  men  of  Derbe  had  always  been  friendly,  and  Paul 
would  have  no  difficulty  in  showing  them  that  the  false 
Christians  from  Jerusalem  had  not  told  the  truth,  and  that 
what  he  taught  them  was  the  true  gospel  of  Jesus.  He  would 
explain  to  them  more  fully  what  he  said  in  his  letter,  of  which 
the  following  is  a  part.  We  can  picture  the  gathering  of  men 
and  women  in  bright  foreign  clothing — for  very  few  of  them 
would  be  Jews — as  they  sat  listening  to  the  Jew,  who  spoke  with 
head  covered,  glowing  eyes,  and  deep,  earnest  voice,  defending 
himself  and  his  teaching  from  the  attacks  and  falsehoods  of  his 
own  countrymen : — 

"I  am  astonished  that  you  should  have  so  quickly  turned 
away  from  what  I  taught  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  turning 
to  a  thing  which  is  not  a  gospel.  The  men  who  trouble  you  are 
not  wishing  to  do  you  good,  but  only  to  spoil  the  true  gospel  of 
Jesus.  If  I,  or  we,  or  an  angel  from  heaven,  were  to  tell  you 
anything  different  from  what  we  have  already  taught  you,  let  him 
be  accursed.  As  we  have  said  before,  so  I  say  again,  If  any  man 
should  preach  to  you  any  other  gospel  than  that  which  you  have 
received  from  us,  let  him  be  accursed.     Do  I  try  to  please  men, 


**i  AM  astonished!"  333 

or  God  ?     If  I  tried  to  please  men,  I  should  not  be  a  true  servant 
of  Jesus. 

"  I  tell  you,  brothers,  that  the  gospel  I  preached  to  you  was 
not  a  gospel  of  men.  For  I  did  not  receive  it  from  men,  nor  was 
I  taught  by  men :  it  was  made  known  to  me  by  Jesus  the 
Christ.  You  have  been  told  about  my  past  life,  when  I  believed 
in  the  Jews'  religion ;  how  that  beyond  all  bounds  I  persecuted 
the  followers  of  Jesus,  and  made  havoc  among  them ;  and  that  I 
advanced  in  that  religion  ahead  of  many  of  my  countrymen  of  my 
own  age,  for  I  was  much  more  zealous  for  the  traditions  of  the 
rabbis.  But  when  it  pleased  God  to  make  known  His  Son  in  me, 
and  that  I  should  preach  Jesus  among  foreign  nations,  I  did  not 
confer  with  men  :  I  did  not  go  up  to  Jerusalem  to  see  those  who 
were  apostles  before  me ;  but  I  went  away  into  Arabia,  and  after- 
wards returned  to  Damascus* 

"  Three  years  after  that  I  went  to  Jerusalem  to  get  to  know 
Peter,  and  stayed  with  him  fifteen  days.  But  I  saw  none  of  the 
other  apostles,  excepting  James,  the  Lord's  brother.  Then  I  went 
to  the  provinces  of  Syria  and  Cilicia ;  and  my  face  was  still  un- 
known among  the  Christians  of  Judea.  All  that  they  knew  about 
me  was,  that  the  man  who  once  persecuted  them  was  now  preach- 
ing the  gospel  of  which  he  had  once  made  havoc.  And  they 
praised  God  because  of  me. 

"Fourteen  years  afterwards  I  went  again  to  Jerusalem, 
guided  by  God,  and  taking  Barnabas  and  Titus  with  me.  And  I 
privately  laid  before  the  chief  Christians  of  repute  the  gospel  which 
I  was  preaching  among  foreigners,  lest  by  any  means  I  should  be 
teaching,  or  had  taught,  in  vain.  But  there  were  false  Christians 
there,  who  had  been  secretly  brought  into  the  congregation  at 
Jerusalem,  coming  secretly  to  spy  out  the  liberty  which  we  have  ^ 
in  Jesus  the  Christ,  that  they  might  bring  us  back  into  the  bond-  ^ 
age  of  the  Jewish  law ;  and  they  urged  that  all  foreigners  should 
be  circumcised.  But  we  would  not  give  way  to  them,  nor  be  ruled 
by  them,  no,  not  for  an  hour ;  that  the  truth  of  the  gospel  which 
we  taught  you  might  continue.  And  not  even  Titus  the  Greek, 
who  was  with  me,  was  compelled  to  be  circumcised. 

"  But  from  those  who  were  reputed  to  be  something  in  Jerusa- 
lem— whatever  they  were,  it  matters  not  to  me,  for  God  accepts 
no  man's  person — from  them,  I  say,  nothing  was  imparted  to  me. 
But,  on  the  contrary,  when  they  saw  that  God  had  entrusted  me 
with  the  gospel  of  uncircumcision  amongst  foreigners,  just  as  Peter 
was  entrusted  with  the  gospel  of  circumcision  amongst  the  Jews, 
and  when  they  saw  the  grace  that  was  given  to  me,  James,  Peter, 
and  John,  who  are  the  acknowledged  pillars  of  the  congregation, 


334  ONE    OF    JESUS'    SAYINGS. 

gave  to  Barnabas  and  myself  the  right  hand  of  fellowship,  agree- 
ing that  we  should  go  and  preach  to  foreigners,  and  they  to  Jews. 
Only  they  asked  that  we  should  remember  the  poor  among  them 
in  Jerusalem ;  which  thing  I  was  anxious  to  do.  God,  who  made 
Peter  the  apostle  of  Jews  who  believed  in  circumcision,  made  me 
also  the  apostle  of  foreigners. 

"  Afterwards,  when  Peter  came  to  Antioch,  I  resisted  him  to 
his  face,  for  he  was  guilty.  He  used  to  eat  at  the  table  with  the 
men  of  Antioch,  until  certain  men,  from  James  at  Jerusalem,  came 
to  the  city ;  and  then  he  drew  back,  and  separated  himself,  being 
afraid  of  these  men,  who  belonged  to  the  party  of  circumcision 
The  rest  of  the  Jewish  Christians  at  Antioch  dissembled  and  did 
the  same,  so  that  even  Barnabas  was  carried  away  with  them. 
But  when  I  saw  that  they  were  not  behaving  uprightly  accord- 
ing to  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  I  said  to  Peter  before  them  all.  If 
you,  being  a  Jew,  live  like  a  foreigner,  and  not  like  a  Jew,  why 
would  you  compel  foreigners  to  live  like  Jews?  We  who  have 
been  born  Jews,  and  not  foreigners,  know  that  a  man  is  not  made 
just  by  obeying  the  Jev/ish  law,  but  only  through  faith  in  Jesus 
the  Christ ;  and  we  Jews  have  believed  on  Jesus,  that  we  may  be 
made  just  by  faith  in  Him." 


One  of  Jesus'   Sayings, 

DERBE  :    AGED    50-60. 

AFTER  the  men  of  Derbe  heard  of  Paul's  former  successful 
^  struggle  on  behalf  of  foreign  Christians  with  those  very  men 
who  fied  on  his  approach,  he  would  have  no  difficulty  in  getting 
them  to  stand  true  to  what  they  had  at  first  been  taught;  and 
now  he  bade  them  make  a  collection  every  Sabbath  for  the  poor 
Christians  of  Jerusalem,  and  left  them,  to  hasten  on. 

From  Derbe  they  rode  along  the  dry  salt  marshes  and  over 
the  hills  towards  Timothy's  home  at  Lystra,  sleeping  in  a  shep- 
herd's tent,  or  hut  of  dry  mud,  and  living  on  milk  and  cakes  of 
coarse  flour.  There  they  would  be  expected;  and  meeting  with 
the  Christians,  he  exposed  the  false  teaching  of  his  enemies,  and 
explained  his  letter,  of  which  this  is  another  part : — 

"O  foolish  Galatians,  before  whom  I  openly  set  forth  Jesus 
crucified,  who  has  bewitched  you?  I  would  like  to  know  this 
from  you,  Did  you  receive  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  by  hearing  the 
gospel  of  faith  in  Him,  or  by  obeying  the  Jewish  religious  law  ? 


ONE    OF    JESUS'    SAYINGS.  835 

Are  you  so  foolish  as  to  think  that,  having  begun  your  higher  life 
in  the  Spirit  of  Jesus,  you  are  going  to  perfect  it  through  obedi- 
ence to  the  Jewish  law  1  Have  you  suffered  so  many  persecutions 
as  Christians  for  nothing  1  Is  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  given  to  you  by 
God  for  keeping  the  Jewish  law,  or  because  you  believe  in  the 
truth  which  I  taught  you?  All  who  undertake  to  obey  the  Jewish 
law  are  liable  to  the  curse  written  in  the  book  of  Deuteronomy, 
which  says,  Cursed  is  every  one  who  does  not  continue  to  keep 
and  to  do  all  the  things  which  are  written  in  the  book  of  the  law. 
Jesus  has  redeemed  us  from  this  curse  of  the  law,  ha^dng  become 
cursed  for  us  :  for  it  is  also  written  in  Deuteronomy,  Cursed  is 
every  one  that  hangeth  on  a  tree.  And  He  died,  that  foreigners 
might  share  the  blessing,  and  receive  His  promised  Spirit  through 
faith. 

"  The  Jewish  law  has  been  as  a  teacher  to  bring  us  to  the 
Christ,  that  we  may  be  saved  by  faith  in  Him ;  but  now  that  this 
faith  has  come,  we  are  under  the  teacher  no  longer.  You  are 
all  sons  of  God  through  faith  in  Jesus  the  Christ :  for  as  many  of 
you  as  were  baptized  in  His  name  did  receive  Him.  In  Jesus 
there  is  neither  Jew  nor  Greek,  slave  nor  free,  man  nor  woman:  you 
are  all  one  in  Him.  And  if  you  are  His,  then  you  are  children 
of  Abraham,  and  heirs  of  the  Jewish  promises. 

"  When  the  time  came,  God  sent  His  Son,  the  child  of  a 
woman,  born  under  the  Jewish  law,  that  we  might  become  sons  of 
God.  And  because  you  are  sons,  God  has  sent  forth  the  Spirit  of 
Jesus  into  your  hearts,  that  you  may  call  Him  Father.  You  are 
therefore  no  more  slaves,  but  sons  and  heirs  through  God.  At 
one  time  you  did  not  know  God,  and  were  the  slaves  of  idols, 
which  are  not  gods.  But  now  that  you  have  come  to  know  God, 
and  to  be  known  of  Him,  why  would  you  turn  back  again  to 
these  weak  and  beggarly  things,  wishing  to  be  in  bondage  again  to 
them  ?  You  keep  days,  and  months,  and  times,  and  years.  I  am 
indeed  afraid  of  you,  lest  my  labour  upon  you  has  by  any  means 
been  all  in  vain." 

It  is  likely  that  they  would  stay  some  time  at  each  of  these 
cities,  until  Paul  felt  that  he  had  firmly  re-established  the  congre- 
gation ;  and  at  Lystra  they  would  spend  a  longer  time,  because  of 
Timothy,  who  would  travel  on  with  them.  And  Paul  met  his 
mother  and  grandmother  there,  who  were  so  well  learned  in  the 
Bible  that  he  told  Timothy  he  was  fortunate  in  having  been 
taught  by  such  good  people. 

Leaving  Lystra  in  the  early  morning,  when  the  dew  lay  like 
hoar  frost  on  the  grass,  to  rise  in  a  mist  before  the  sun,  they  rode 
over  the  hills  and  across  the  wide  plains  towards  Iconium,  amid 


336  A    DANGEROUS    BRIDLE    ROAD. 

its  gardens  and  orchards,  where  the  apples  and  olives,  the  red 
cherries  and  oranges,  were  already  twinkling  amid  leaves  kept 
green  by  water  from  the  river.  They  had  no  fear  of  attack,  as 
they  rode  through  the  low  arch  in  the  city  walls ;  for  they  would 
not  speak  in  synagogue  or  street,  but  to  the  Christians  only. 
They  were  coming  to  strengthen  the  Christians,  and  found  them 
ready  to  receive  them,  and  eager  to  hear  more  about  Paul's  strange 
and  wonderful  letter.  What  he  said,  as  he  spoke  scathingly  of  the 
Pharisee  Christians,  who  had  travelled  so  far  and  done  so  much  to 
spoil  his  work,  we  do  not  know ;  but  this  is  more  of  the  letter, 
which  he  would  explain  to  them,  as  they  sat  in  dim  lamp-light 
with  the  door  shut : — 

"  See !  I  Paul  say  unto  you,  that  if  you  become  circumcised, 
Jesus  will  do  you  no  good.  Yes,  I  declare  again  to  every  man 
who  becomes  circumcised,  that  he  becomes  bound  to  keep  the  whole 
Jewish  religious  law ;  and  you  who  wish  to  be  made  just  by 
keeping  that  law  have  fallen  away  from  the  grace  of  Jesus,  and 
are  cut  oflP  from  the  Christ.  But  we  through  His  Spirit,  and  by 
faith  in  Him,  wait  for  the  hope  of  righteousness.  For  in  Jesus 
neither  being  circumcised  or  not  being  circumcised  is  of  any  use, 
but  only  faith  in  Him  working  through  love.  You  were  doing 
well;  who  hindered  you,  that  you  should  not  obey  the  truth? 
The  advice  came  not  from  God  who  called  you.  A  little  leaven 
leavens  the  whole  lump.  But  I  have  confidence  in  you  in  God, 
that  you  will  not  think  differently  from  me.  He  who  is  troubling 
you  will  receive  his  judgment,  whoever  he  be.  If,  as  they  say,  I 
still  preach  circumcision,  why  am  I  thus  persecuted  1  I  wish  that 
they  who  trouble  you  would  cut  themselves  off." 

In  this  passage  he  refers  to  another  of  the  sayings  ©f  Jesus, 
uttered  when  sailing  in  Peter's  boat,  as  He  warned  His  disciples 
against  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees,  whose  evil  words,  if  they 
listened  to  them,  would  soon  make  them  all  bad. 


A  Dangerous   Bridle  Road. 

ICONIUM:    AGED  50-60. 

THERE  were  no  Pharisee  Jews  to  dispute  with  Paul  as  he  ex- 
plained to  the  Christians  of  Iconium  the  glorious  gospel  of 
the  life,  death,  and  rising  of  Jesus ;  and  in  a  few  days  he  had  un- 
done the  work  of  his  enemies,  for  the  Christians  of  Iconium  pre- 
ferred the  freedom  of  faith  to  the  slavery  of  Jewish  laws  and  rules. 


A    DANGEROUS    BRIDLE    ROAD.  337 

Again  he  rode  out  by  the  low  archway  of  the  city  gate,  and 
through  the  gardens  and  vineyards  of  Icoiiium  at  their  loveliest, 
with  leaves  still  cool  and  green,  and  young  fruit  hanging  on  the 
branches.  Riding,  camping,  cooking,  keeping  a  look-out  for  robbers 
and  wild  animals,  in  a  few  days  they  came  to  the  paved  Roman 
road,  where  horses  galloped  past  them,  and  the  laden  camels  of  the 
merchants  moved  with  soft  feet  in  long  strings ;  and  in  about  a 
week  they  were  toiling  up  towards  Pisidian  Antioch,  at  the  foot 
of  the  Sultan  Mountains. 

This  was  his  fourth  visit  to  this  military  city  in  the  hills,  to 
which  Barnabas  brought  him,  a  sick  and  weary  man,  five  years 
before  ;  and  it  would  be  his  last,  for  his  work  in  Galatia  was  done, 
and  well  done.  What  did  he  say  to  the  men,  who  were  not  sur- 
prised to  see  again  the  travelling  Jew  in  the  brown  cloak,  before 
riding  on  across  Asia?  In  his  letter  he  spoke  of  their  kindness 
when  he  was  a  stranger  and  sick,  and  he  would  not  be  silent 
about  that,  as  he  stood  among  them  strong  and  well,  in  the  large 
room  with  slits  for  windows,  through  which  the  white  sunlight 
of  heaven  streamed  over  the  heads  of  listening  Christians,  for  his 
letter  would  still  be  his  subject. 

"  I  beseech  you,  brothers,  be  as  I  am.  You  would  not  wrong 
me,  but  you  know  that  it  was  through  being  ill  that  I  first 
preached  the  gospel  to  you ;  and  that  though  you  were  tempted 
to  despise  and  reject  me  because  of  my  frailty,  you  did  not,  but 
received  me  as  if  I  had  been  an  angel  of  God,  or  Jesus  Him.self. 
Where  now  is  your  gratitude?  For  I  say  that,  if  it  had  been 
possible,  you  would  have  plucked  out  your  eyes  and  given  them 
to  me.  Am  I  your  enemy  now,  because  I  deal  truthfully  wdth 
you  ?  These  men  who  have  come  among  you  so  zealously,  seek  you 
for  no  good ;  nay,  they  wish  to  shut  you  out  of  the  good  way 
of  Jesus,  that  you  may  follow  them.  But  it  is  right  always  to 
follow  in  the  good  way,  and  not  only  when  I  am  with  you.  My 
little  children,  of  whom  I  am  again  anxious  that  Jesus  should  be 
in  you,  I  would  like  to  change  my  voice  from  blame  to  praise ;  but 
I  am  perplexed  about  you. 

"  Tell  me,  you  who  wish  to  be  under  the  Jewish  law,  do  you 
understand  what  it  means'?  We  are  not  the  children  of  slaves, 
but  of  freedom  ;  for  Jesus  has  set  us  free.  Stand  fast  therefore  in 
your  freedom,  and  be  not  entangled  again  in  any  yoke  of  slavery." 

He  had  visited  the  towns  of  Galatia,  and  would  stop  at 
other  places  by  the  way.  It  was  now  hot  midsummer,  when  the 
people  were  flying  from  the  fever  plains  by  the  sea  to  the  healthy 
mountains,  and  he  did  not  go  down  to  the  cities  of  Perga  and 
Attalia.     This  was  his  third  journey  through  these  mountainous 

(1,040)  22 


338  A   DANGEROUS   BRIDLE   ROAD. 

districts,  amid  the  snow  wreaths  of  winter  and  dazzling  suns  of 
summer,  and  he  was  about  to  leave  them  and  break  one  more  life- 
thread,  for  he  would  not  return.  The  people  of  distant  Ephesus 
were  waiting  for  him,  and  he  must  travel  on,  for  they  were  thirst- 
ing for  the  water  of  life. 

The  leaves  were  fluttering  yellow  upon  the  plane  trees,  and 
russet  upon  the  oak  and  chestnut,  by  streams  whose  channels 
were  a  bed  of  hot  stones,  where  the  golden  lizard  basked  and  the 
green  snake  coiled.  Patches  of  grey  grass  were  on  the  hills,  and 
yellow  shrub  among  the  wastes  of  black  and  white  rock ;  and  the 
horse  roads  were  hot  to  the  foot,  for  among  these  mountains 
the  cold  of  winter  was  biting  and  long,  and  the  heat  of  mid- 
summer scalding  and  blinding  among  the  white  stones. 

Bidding  farewell  to  their  friends  of  the  city,  Paul  rode  out 
again  in  the  early  morning  from  narrow  streets  into  the  wind-swept 
country.  They  were  at  first  upon  the  Roman  road  along  which 
they  began  their  long  ride  to  Troy  two  years  before ;  and  they 
crossed  the  great  caravan  road  from  the  high  country,  a  winding 
ribbon  all  the  way,  past  lakes  and  cities,  down  to  Ephesus  by  the 
sea.  But  they  did  not  follow  it.  They  took  instead  a  shorter, 
higher,  and  quieter  road  for  horses  through  the  hills  of  the  province 
of  Asia,  in  a  more  direct  line  to  the  distant  city ;  but  why  the 
busy  road  was  avoided  we  do  not  know.  Perhaps  Paul  did  not 
yet  feel  free  to  proclaim  the  gospel  as  he  passed  through  Asia. 

The  distance  from  Pisidian  Antioch  to  Ephesus  by  this  bridle 
road  was  about  a  f ourteen-days  ride.  They  were  leaving  the 
highest  mountains,  and  while  the  road  went  up  and  down  as  they 
climbed  bare  hills  and  went  through  wooded  valleys,  it  was  ever 
getting  lower,  for  they  were  riding  towards  the  sea ;  and  if  they 
travelled  with  a  caravan  of  merchants  or  packmen,  they  would  get 
on  very  slowly,  with  long  rests  in  the  hot  part  of  the  day. 

In  autumn  the  dews  at  night  are  heavy  enough  to  soak 
through  a  tent-cover,  and  in  the  moonlight  the  rocks  stand  out 
on  the  hillsides  as  clear  as  day,  with  deep  black  shadows.  But 
they  would  neither  travel  at  night  nor  sleep  in  tents.  The 
lonely  road  was  infested  with  robbers,  who  lived  in  the  caves  in 
the  hills,  and  in  the  deep  wooded  gorges,  whence  they  watched  for 
careless  travellers ;  for  they  did  no  work,  and  lived  by  robbing 
strangers  and  fighting  each  other.  They  would  sleep  night  after 
night  in  the  bare  but  welcome  shelter  of  the  house  for  strangers  in 
the  villages,  where  they  would  get  water  without  having  to  go  to 
the  river,  and  walls  to  protect  them,  without  having  to  keep  up 
blazing  fires  to  scare  the  wolves  and  leopards ;  and  there,  too, 
they  would  get  eggs  and  cakes,  milk  and  cheese  to  buy,  if  they 


A  WONDER  OF  THE  WORLD.  389 

had  any  money.  Danger  from  robbers  and  wild  beasts  was  the 
great  dread  of  travellers ;  and  these  shelters  for  strangers,  though 
rough  and  dirty,  would  be  most  welcome  places  to  Paul  and  his 
companions  at  the  end  of  each  long,  weary  day. 


A  Wonder  of  the  World. 

EPHESUS:    AGED  50-60. 

THERE  were  many  streams  to  cross,  and  although  it  was  the 
dry  season,  they  would  still  be  troublesome ;  for  there  were 
few  bridges  by  this  bridle  path,  and  the  travellers  would  often 
have  to  swim  their  asses  across  rivers,  and  not  always  without 
danger.  These  streams  were  the  branches  of  the  great  Meander, 
deep,  rapid,  and  red,  that  flowed  through  the  hills,  past  towns  and 
villages,  woods  and  castles,  for  two  hundred  miles,  and  the  old 
caravan  road  followed  it  for  miles.  From  the  Meander  valley, 
Paul  and  his  companions  would  ride  over  the  hills  to  higher 
country,  where  the  river  Cayster  begins  as  a  little  stream  that 
winds  for  seventy  miles  between  high  hills,  until  it  flows  past 
Ephesus  on  the  plain,  and  into  the  blue  gulf  there.  At  the  end  of 
this  huge  Cayster  valley  are  the  cities  of  Smyrna  and  Ephesus, 
forty  miles  apart,  and  the  road  between  them,  which  was  then 
one  of  the  busiest,  is  now  a  railway. 

Riding  down  the  broad  valley,  they  saw  the  russet  pome- 
granates in  the  trees,  and  dark  olives ;  and  the  red  stubble  fields 
round  the  mud  and  stone  huts  showed  that  the  country  people 
were  farmers  more  than  shepherds.  On  the  terraced  hillsides, 
women,  in  dresses  of  red  and  yellow,  were  busy  among  the  golden 
vines,  plucking  the  grapes  of  purple  and  green ;  for  it  was  the 
time  of  year  for  making  oil  and  wine,  and  for  drying  the  raisins, 
figs,  and  dates. 

They  saw  the  silver  line  of  the  river  winding  in  the  haze 
below  them,  and  could  tell  that  they  were  getting  near  to  the 
great  city.  Strings  of  laden  camels,  asses,  and  horses  were  moving 
slowly  along  in  the  heat,  laden  with  fruit,  oil,  corn,  and  wine  for 
the  ships  in  the  harbour,  and  led  by  a  dusky-faced  countryman;  and 
women,  with  strings  of  brass  coins  gleaming  in  their  black  hair, 
walked  cheerfully  beside  them,  with  loose  shoes  on  their  bare  feet, 
and  red-cheeked  children  tied  on  their  backs. 

At  the  end  of  the  mountain  range  they  saw  the  blue  bay  of 
Ephesus  sparkling  in  the  sunshine,  and  the  island  of  Samos,  past 


340  A  WONDER  OF  THE  WORLD. 

which  Paul  had  sailed  six  months  before.  A  few  hours  more 
and  they  saw  the  great  city,  still  far  beneath  them,  with  its  white 
buildings,  and  harbour  crowded  with  ships.  There  stood  Diana's 
temple,  the  wonder  of  the  world,  with  walls  and  pillars  of  snowy 
marble,  and  shining  roof.  As  Paul  rode  down  the  bridle  path 
overlooking  the  vast  city,  he  saw  a  fruitful  plain  spreading  for 
about  five  miles  round  it,  through  which  the  river  coiled — a  plain 
bounded  by  the  blue  sea  and  by  wooded  hills.  In  the  midst  rose 
Mount  Coressus,  a  mass  of  marble,  the  source  of  all  the  snowy 
buildings;  nearer  him  were  the  masts  of  the  ships  in  the  outer 
and  inner  harbours ;  and  farther  off,  the  river,  gleaming  for  four 
miles  towards  the  sea. 

The  city  walls  were  four  miles  round,  and  there  he  saw 
the  racecourse,  with  tiers  of  stone  seats,  the  ruins  of  which  are 
still  there.  Across  the  city,  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Prion,  was 
the  meeting-place  for  the  people,  a  vast  theatre  with  seats  for  fifty 
thousand,  so  that  one  wonders  if  those  on  the  highest  seats  could 
see,  and  whether  they  could  hear.  Among  the  woods  on  the  sur- 
rounding hills  were  the  white  pillars  of  more  temples,  palaces, 
and  houses  of  the  wealthy,  with  parks  and  pleasure-grounds, 
streams,  ponds,  and  gardens ;  for  Ephesus  was  one  of  the  richest 
of  cities. 

Between  the  mountains  and  the  sea  lay  the  proud  city  that 
Paul,  in  his  brown  cloak,  had  come  to  conquer  in  the  name  of 
Jesus  of  the  little  village  of  Nazareth.  Great  was  man's  power 
to  rear  temples  and  carve  images,  but  the  power  of  God  was 
greater.  And  he  rode  on  through  the  massive  Smyrna  gate,  and 
along  the  paved  streets,  crowded  with  men  of  all  nations,  seeking 
his  way  to  the  Jews'  part  of  the  city,  near  the  harbour,  where  the 
synagogue  was,  with  the  vine  and  grapes  carved  over  the  door. 
The  people  saw  a  grey-haired  Jew,  with  dusky  face  and  grey 
eyes,  wearing  a  brown  cloak  and  worn  sandals,  and  stooping 
somewhat,  as,  staff  in  hand,  he  led  his  weary  ass  along  their  city 
street ;  but  they  did  not  know  that  long  after  their  deep  harbour 
had  been  silted  up  with  sand,  their  city  strewn  along  the  plain, 
and  the  huge  temple  itself  sunk  out  of  sight,  the  letter  which 
he  wrote  on  feeble  paper  to  certain  despised  Christians  in  that 
city  would  be  one  of  the  treasures  of  the  world,  and  more  endur- 
ing than  their  graven  marbles. 


APOLLOS   THE    EGYPTIAN    JEW.  341 

Apollos  the   Egyptian  Jew. 

EPHESUS:     AGED    50-60. 

AQUILA  the  weaver  and  his  wife  PrisciTla  were  still  at 
/V  Ephesus,  and  they  told  Paul  of  a  Jew  called  Apollos,  who 
had  been  there,  speaking  with  great  power  in  the  synagogue  about 
Jesus,  and  doing  much  good,  and  he  came  neither  from  Jerusalem 
nor  from  Antioch.  He  was  born  in  the  town  of  Alexandria, 
at  the  mouth  of  the  broad  flowing  Nile,  a  fine-looking,  dark- 
featured  man.  Alexandria  was  a  great  trading  city,  containing 
thousands  of  Jews,  many  of  them  wealthy  merchants,  who  built  a 
splendid  temple  of  their  own,  and  also  sent  temple  money  every 
year  to  Jerusalem  in  sacks  heavy  with  coins.  They  were  learned, 
and  had  schools  and  colleges  where  their  sons  were  taught,  and 
their  views  were  so  broad  that  they  had  a  synagogue  of  their  own 
in  Jerusalem.  They  did  a  thing  for  which  they  were  hated  by 
the  Jerusalem  Jews,  but  which  did  more  to  spread  the  know- 
ledge of  God  and  the  Bible  throughout  the  world  than  all  the 
work  of  the  Jerusalem  rabbis— they  translated  the  Bible  from 
Hebrew  into  Greek.  It  was  done  three  hundred  years  before 
Jesus  was  born,  and  is  called  "  The  Translation  of  the  Seventy," 
because  seventy  men  helped  to  do  it ;  and  Jesus  read  it,  and  Paul 
too,  and  many  scholars  of  other  nations  who  knew  Greek  but  not 
Hebrew  read  it  also. 

Like  Paul,  Apollos  was  a  man  of  education,  well  learned  in 
the  Bible,  an  eloquent  speaker,  and  a  powerful  debater.  He 
heard  of  John  the  Baptist,  who  stood  by  the  fords  of  Jordan, 
where  the  pilgrims  passed,  calling  upon  them  to  repent  and  be 
baptized,  for  the  Messiah  was  coming.  He  may  even  have  seen 
the  cousin  of  Jesus  standing  there  in  his  raiment  of  camel's 
hair  and  leather  belt,  and  he  believed  his  message  and  became 
one  of  his  followers.  To  him  Jesus  was  the  Messiah  and  Saviour 
of  whom  John  and  the  Bible  spoke,  and  what  he  knew  he  must 
tell  to  others.  And  so  this  dark-faced  Jew  of  Egypt  cast  his 
cloak  about  him,  and,  with  a  stout  stick  in  his  hand,  went  forth 
to  proclaim  the  gospel  of  Jesus  the  Christ,  with  which  his  great 
heart  was  full. 

He  had  never  seen  Jesus,  nor  talked  with  the  apostles,  nor 
heard  Paul  speak,  but  he  had  got  fragments  from  others ;  and  his 
heart  was  on  fire  to  spread  the  truth  amongst  his  countrymen  in 
foreign  cities.  Like  Paul,  he  knew  about  ships,  for  those  of  his 
native  city  were  the  most  famous  in  the  world  for  their  size  and 


342  APOLLOS   THE    EGYPTIAN    JEW. 

speed,  carrying  the  golden  grain  of  Egypt  into  every  river  where 
there  was  a  large  city  to  be  fed ;  and  in  the  course  of  his  travels 
he  came  to  Ephesus,  five  hundred  miles  across  the  sea  from 
Egypt.  He  spoke  boldly  to  his  countrymen  in  the  synagogue, 
proving  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah,  and  that  they  must  repent 
and  be  baptized,  as  John  the  Baptist  had  said.  John  being  the 
son  of  a  priest,  the  Jews  never  hated  him  as  they  did  Jesus,  and 
Apollos  found  them  willing  to  accept  his  teaching,  and  he  be- 
came a  leading  speaker  in  their  synagogue. 

Aquila  and  Priscilla,  who  were  teaching  Christianity  and 
weaving  their  cloth,  found  him  at  work,  as  they  found  Paul  at 
Corinth,  and  saw  that  this  gifted,  earnest  man  did  not  know 
enough.  They  spoke  to  him,  and  he  went  home  and  lived  with 
them,  that  he  might  learn  more  about  Jesus  and  the  new  way. 
They  told  him  that  John's  way  of  baptising  had  passed  away  when 
Jesus  came,  and  that  he  should  baptize  in  the  name  of  Jesus.  And 
day  after  day  this  scholar  and  orator  sat  beside  the  tentmaker  and 
his  wife,  as  they  clipped  and  sewed  for  their  daily  bread  and  told 
him  all  they  knew ;  and  when  he  spoke  again  in  the  synagogue  his 
teaching  was  closer  to  Paul's,  though  not  the  same,  and  he  made 
many  friends. 

Hearing  from  the  weaver  and  his  wife  of  the  congregation 
Paul  had  formed  at  Corinth,  he  crossed  the  ^gean  Sea  in  a  trad- 
ing-boat with  a  letter  from  Aquila,  and  was  warmly  welcomed 
by  the  Christians.  There  he  greatly  helped  and  encouraged 
them  ;  and  turning  to  the  synagogue  Jews,  he  attacked  them 
publicly,  with  great  eloquence,  proving  from  the  Bible  that  Jesus 
was  the  Christ,  and  refuting  their  objections. 

And  thus  while  Pharisee  Jews  from  Jerusalem  were  going 
about  doing  their  best  to  injure  Paul's  work  in  foreign  cities, 
another  and  a  nobler  Jew  from  Africa  was  eloquently  support- 
ing a  man  whom  he  had  never  seen,  but  of  whom  he  heard 
great  things.  And  when  Paul  arrived  in  Ephesus  he  found 
that  a  strong  man  had  been  at  work  preparing  the  city.  Aquila 
and  Priscilla  gathered  together  a  number  of  Christians,  and  he 
found  the  Jews  still  willing  that  he  should  come  and  speak  about 
Jesus  in  their  synagogue. 

When  Apollos  baptized,  he  used  the  words  of  John  the 
Baptist,  but  this  did  not  satisfy  Paul ;  and  about  twelve  men 
asked  to  be  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  he 
baptized  them  again.  It  is  not  easy  to  see  why  Paul  should  do 
over  again  what  Apollos  did,  but  we  are  told  that  when  Paul  put 
his  hands  on  their  heads  "they  spoke  with  tongues  and  pro- 
phesied," the  Holy  Spirit  having   come   to  them.      They  felt  a 


WEAVING    AND    PREACHING.  343 

desire  to  live  after  the  Holy  Spirit  of  Jesus,  and  tell  to  others 
what  they  knew  of  Him,  and  beyond  that  we  do  not  know. 


Weaving:  and   Preaching^. 

EPHESUS:     AGED    50-60. 

THE  paths  of  Paul  and  Apollos  crossed  for  the  first  time  at; 
Ephesus,  but  the  men  did  not  meet  until  later ;  and  Apollos 
maintained  his  independence.  He  did  not  become  Paul's  travel- 
ling companion,  or  a  disciple  of  his,  but,  on  the  contrary,  he 
would  not  do  what  he  asked  him;  yet  Paul  regarded  him  with 
great  friendliness. 

Paul  began  his  work  by  making  the  synagogue  his  chief  place 
of  teaching,  speaking  openly  of  Jesus,  and  reasoning  that  the 
kingdom  of  God  was  not  to  be  for  Jews  only.  We  have  no 
record  of  his  speeches  in  the  dim  synagogue  with  the  star-like 
lamp,  where  his  countrymen  sat  with  bowed  heads ;  but  this  is 
what  he  wrote  not  long  afterwards  to  the  people  of  Corinth  : — 

"  Knowing  the  fear  of  God,  I  persuade  men ;  but  I  am  known 
of  God,  and  I  hope  in  your  consciences  also.  I  am  not  praising 
myself,  but  I  wish  you  to  have  cause  to  rejoice  because  of  me,  that 
you  may  have  an  answer  to  them  who  glory  in  appearance,  but 
not  inwardly.  For  whether  I  am  out  of  my  mind,  it  is  for  God : 
or  of  a  sober  mind,  it  is  for  you.  The  love  of  Jesus  compels  me  to 
speak ;  for  I  consider  that  Jesus  having  died  for  all,  it  is  as  if  all 
men  had  died  to  sin.  Jesus  died  for  all,  that  they  who  live  in 
Him  should  not  live  selfishly  for  themselves,  but  for  Him  who  for 
their  sakes  died  and  rose  again.  Therefore  I  think  of  no  man  as 
a  man ;  and  even  though  we  have  known  Jesus  as  a  man,  we  know 
Him  thus  no  more.  If  any  man  is  in  Jesus,  he  becomes  a  new 
creature :  the  things  of  his  old  life  have  passed  away,  and  all  has 
become  new.  Everything  is  of  God,  who  has  reconciled  us  to 
Himself  through  Jesus,  and  given  us  the  gospel  of  love  to  preach : 
which  is  this,  that  God  is  in  Jesus,  reconciling  the  world  to  Him- 
self, not  counting  men's  sins  against  them." 

He  lived  again  with  Aquila  and  his  wife  in  the  Jews'  part  of 
the  city,  near  the  harbour,  enjoying  the  rights  of  citizens ;  for  in 
that  great  city  Jews  had  special  privileges.  They  worked  hard 
together  during  the  day,  and  sometimes  all  through  the  night, 
spinning  and  weaving  the  thick  waterproof  cloth  for  tent-covers, 


344  WEAVING    AND    PREACHING. 

sacks,  and  sailors'  blouses,  and  selling  it  among  the  ships  in  the 
inner  and  outer  harbour,  to  keep  themselves  independent. 

Beside  the  harbour  were  large  stores  for  grain,  flour,  oil,  wine, 
and  warehouses  where  sacks  were  wanted,  and  a  broad  paved 
street  led  up  to  the  market-place  in  the  centre  of  the  city,  famous 
for  its  size  and  beauty,  surrounded  with  sheltered  walks,  and, 
like  the  market  at  Athens,  peopled  with  statues  of  great  men. 
Through  the  high  stone  arch  came  corn  from  Egypt,  glass  and 
brass  from  Sidon,  silk  and  dyed  cloths  from  Tyre,  wine  and  fruit 
from  Cyprus,  oil,  hides,  horses,  slaves,  jewellery  from  beyond  the 
green  hills,  as  well  as  from  over  the  sea.  There  the  rich  merchants 
of  the  city  had  their  stalls,  and  the  cattle-dealers  and  traders  from 
all  parts  of  Asia  came  thither  to  sell  their  goods,  and  get  copper 
coins  of  Ephesus,  with  the  head  of  the  Roman  emperor  on  one 
side  and  the  temple  of  Diana  on  the  other.  And  in  the  slaves' 
corner  were  youths  and  girls,  men,  women,  and  children,  standing 
in  hundreds  with  their  feet  chalked,  as  a  sign  that  they  were  for 
sale ;  for  it  was  one  of  the  largest  slave  markets  in  the  world. 
There,  too,  were  the  stalls  of  the  silversmiths  and  carvers,  who 
made  models  of  the  temple  in  silver  and  brass,  marble  and  lava, 
porcelain,  clay,  and  wood,  and  sold  them  in  large  numbers  to  the 
strangers. 

The  people  loved  bright  dresses,  and  wore  thin  robes  in  all 
shades  of  blue  and  green,  yellow  and  red,  and  liked  to  watch  the 
jugglers  and  tumblers  in  the  street,  and  listen  to  stories  of  cheats 
and  mountebanks,  and  to  slaves  singing;  for  they  liked  dancing 
and  music,  but  were  not  so  debased  as  the  Corinthians. 

They  were  very  proud  of  their  city,  and  boasted  of  the^ 
beautiful  buildings  on  Mount  Prion,  and  of  their  theatre,  the 
largest  in  the  world,  cut  out  of  the  side  of  the  hill,  where  the 
people  sat  in  thousands  with  broad  hats  and  bright  sunshades, 
as  they  watched  the  ] performance  under  the  open  sky.  They  were 
proud,  too,  of  their  racecourse,  and  the  magnificent  street  lined 
with  statues,  and  shaded  with  green  trees ;  of  their  inner  harbour 
and  canal ;  of  their  water  supply,  coming  like  a  river  on  stone 
arches  from  the  hills ;  and  of  their  palaces  and  temples.  But 
most  of  all  they  were  proud  of  the  great  temple  of  Diana,  that 
could  be  seen  from  IVIount  Coressus,  covering  acres  of  the  finest 
of  the  land  outside  the  city  wall  to  the  east,  and  joined  to  it  by  a 
fine  colonnade  of  pillars. 


BLACK    DIANA.  345 

Black   Diana. 

EPHESUS:     AGED    50-60. 

THE  people  worshipped  idols,  and  liked  to  have  their  city 
called  "The  Temple  Keeper,"  for  there  had  been  a  great 
temple  of  Diana  on  the  same  spot  for  over  a  thousand  years. 
Four  hundred  years  before  Paul's  visit,  when  Alexander  the 
Great  was  born,  the  temple  was  burned  in  a  night.  But  the  men 
of  Asia  sent  gold  and  silver,  ladies  sent  their  jewels,  men  their 
rings,  and  a  new  temple,  the  finest  of  them  all,  designed  by 
Dinocrates,  a  Macedonian,  was  built,  which  Paul  saw. 

Vast  woods  surrounded  it,  of  oak,  cypress,  poplar,  plane 
tree,  myrtle,  bay,  and  many  others,  encircled  with  a  wall,  and 
called  a  sanctuary,  just  as  Westminster  and  Holyrood  used  to  be 
called.  For  when  the  building  was  finished,  a  Persian  prince  shot 
an  arrow  from  the  highest  tower,  saying  that  whoever  came  within 
that  distance  of  Diana's  temple  should  be  free  from  pursuit.  But 
they  who  needed  protection  most — the  slaves — were  not  allowed 
to  shelter  there,  and  that  takes  away  from  the  fine-sounding 
words  of  the  Persian  prince. 

In  the  midst  of  these  dense  trees,  and  surrounded  by  another 
wall,  stood  this  vast  white  temple,  with  double  rows  of  dazzling 
pillars  supporting  a  low,  broad  roof  rising  to  a  ridge  in  the  middle. 
It  is  not  likely  that  Paul  ever  entered  this  huge  house  of  the  idol 
Diana,  but  all  who  came  had  first  to  go  up  the  fourteen  broad 
marble  steps  that  went  all  round  the  building,  and  then  they 
reached  the  great  pillars,  carved  round  the  base  with  full-sized 
figures  of  men  and  women.  Just  as  at  Jerusalem,  the  worshipper 
had  to  wash  and  go  barefooted  through  the  pillars  before  passing 
the  great  doors  of  carved  cypress  wood  and  entering  the  outer 
hall.  There  he  looked  round  upon  statues  of  gold,  and  silver, 
and  brass,  and  marble  of  every  hue,  from  snow  white  to  deep  red, 
green,  and  blue,  the  work  of  the  world's  best  sculptors.  The  chief 
statue  was  one  in  gold  of  Artemidorus,  who  went  to  Rome  to 
plead  for  the  great  temple.  Pictures,  too,  were  on  the  walls ;  but 
the  painting  of  "Alexander  the  Great  Grasping  a  Thunderbolt" 
was  not  so  fine  as  his  statue  in  the  open  square. 

In  the  temple  was  the  secret  chamber  of  the  precious  image. 
The  ceiling  was  of  gilded  cedar,  supported  on  pillars  of  green 
jasper  (now  in  Constantinople) ;  the  walls  were  hung  with  presents 
from  kings  and  princes ;  and  there  was  a  beautiful  altar,  the  work 
of  Praxiteles,  behind  which,  as  at  Jerusalem,  was  a  curtain  of 


346  IN    THE    SCHOOL   OF   TYRANNUS. 

purple  and  embroidery,  hanging  from  the  roof  down  to  the  coloured 
pavement.  The  priests  and  priestesses  took  good  care  that  no 
worshipper  ever  got  behind  that  thick  curtain  to  see  the  rough 
wooden  figure  of  a  woman  kept  there,  decked  like  a  child's  doll 
with  coloured  ribbons  and  white  robes.  It  needed  washing  more 
than  ribbons,  for  it  was  so  black  that  it  could  not  be  told  whether 
it  was  made  of  dark  vine,  dusky  cedar,  or  black  ebony,  and  no 
one  dared  cut  it  to  see.  Strange  to  say,  they  had  women  priests 
to  dress  this  black  doll ;  and  they  said  it  fell  from  the  stars,  and 
was  very  sacred  on  that  account,  though  why  they  should  think  so 
is  not  easy  to  see.  When  copies  of  this  image  were  made,  it  was 
of  a  very  pretty  woman  with  a  little  castle  upon  her  wavy  hair, 
her  limbs  wound  round  with  a  light  skirt  figured  all  over  with 
animals  and  strange  writing,  and  between  her  feet  a  honey-bee ; 
for  they  said  the  bee  was  sacred  to  Diana,  just  as  the  cat  and 
the  fox  were  sacred  in  Egypt.  But  behind  this  idol's  chamber 
was  by  far  the  most  important  place,  for  it  was  the  great  treasure- 
house  where  the  temple  riches  were  kept ;  and  all  over  Asia  the 
people  thought  this  dark  room  was  the  safest  bank  in  the  world, 
and  kings  thought  it  was  a  good  place  to  plunder. 

A  stair  of  vine-wood  let  up  to  the  broad  roof  of  the  temple, 
and  those  who  went  up  saw  the  corner  whence  the  sanctuary 
arrow  was  shot,  and  looked  abroad  on  the  swaying  tops  of  green 
trees  planted  so  densely  in  the  temple  woods  as  almost  to  hide 
the  paths  and  white  statues.  They  looked  down,  too,  upon 
the  crowded  houses  of  the  city,  and  over  distant  gardens  and 
orchards,  fields  and  meadows,  until  their  eyes  rested  on  the 
soft  outlines  of  hills  clothed  in  woods,  over  which  the  rain-clouds 
drifted  and  the  shadows  ran. 


In  the  School  of  Tyrannus. 

EPHESUS  :     AGED    50-60. 

pAXTL  came  to  Ephesus  in  the  autumn,  when  leaves  of  crim- 
-t  son,  and  russet,  and  grey  were  falling  to  the  ground,  and 
the  ruddy  fruit  was  being  plucked  from  the  boughs,  and  the 
black  grapes  turned  into  wine,  to  be  stored  away  in  leather  skins 
in  cool  caves,  or  shipped  in  late-going  vessels.  He  saw  the  rejoic- 
ing crowds  surging  through  the  streets,  and  out  to  the  temples,  to 
dance,  feast,  and  drink,  in  the  way  recommended  by  their  priests 
for  holding  the  festivals  of  harvest-home  and  vintage.      Winter 


IN  THE  SCHOOL  OF  TYRANNUS.  347 

came  with  white  covering  on  the  mountains  and  heavy  rains 
among  the  hills,  flooding  the  vast  plain  with  gleaming  lakes  and 
overflowing  streams,  and  the  gales  and  storms  of  hail  and  light- 
ning kept  the  harbours  full  of  ships  that  would  not  go  to  sea 
again  until  the  spring. 

For  three  months  he  taught  in  the  synagogue,  speaking  of  the 
kingdom  of  God  among  men,  and  the  new  way  of  Jesus,  and  the 
higher  life.  What  he  said  to  these  black-eyed  Jews  sitting  with 
covered  heads,  and  these  ruddy  women  and  little  Jewish  children 
behind  the  carved  screen  in  the  dark  synagogue,  in  the  more 
than  twenty  addresses  which  he  gave,  we  are  not  told ;  but  this 
is  part  of  what  he  wrote  to  Jews  in  Kome  : — 

"  What  shall  we  say  then  ?  Shall  we  continue  to  sin,  that  we 
may  be  forgiven  1  God  forbid.  For  we  who  have  died  towards  sin 
must  no  longer  live  in  it.  We  who  are  baptized  into  Jesus  are  as 
if  we  shared  in  His  death,  and  were  buried  with  Him.  As  Jesus 
was  raised  from  the  dead  through  the  glory  of  God,  so  must  we 
also  rise  from  sin,  and  live  a  new  life.  As  we  have  shared  with 
Him  in  the  likeness  of  His  death,  so  shall  we  share  in  His  resurrec- 
tion. It  is  as  if  our  old  sinful  life  were  crucified  with  Him,  that 
our  sins  might  be  done  away,  and  that  we  should  be  no  longer  the 
slaves  of  sin.  Having  thus  died  with  the  Christ,  we  believe  we 
shall  also  live  with  Him  :  knowing  that  being  raised  again,  death 
has  no  more  power  over  Him.  For  the  death  that  He  died  was 
as  the  death  of  sin,  and  the  life  that  He  lived  was  life  unto 
God.  Even  so  count  yourselves  also  to  be  as  dead  towards  evil, 
but  alive  towards  God  and  goodness  in  Jesus  the  Christ." 

So  he  spoke,  and  so  they  listened,  and  some  of  his  country- 
men joined  the  Christians.  But  this  was  too  good  to  last.  He  had 
never  yet  won  over  a  whole  synagogue,  and  he  would  not  do  it 
there.  The  chiefs  in  the  old  place  of  worship  began  to  think  they 
had  heard  enough  about  this  new  way  to  serve  God,  as  they  called 
it,  and  they  became  disobedient  to  Paul,  and  spoke  against  his 
teaching  of  the  way,  disputing  and  arguing  with  him,  until  at  last 
the  split  came.  There  was  no  riot  or  even  open  quarrel,  but  the 
Christians  left  the  synagogue,  as  at  Corinth,  and  went  to  the 
class-room  of  Tyrannus,  a  teacher  of  philosophy,  who  opened  it 
to  them.  There  he  taught  heathen  philosophy  to  his  scholars  in 
the  morning ;  and  Paul  taught  Christianity  in  the  afternoon  to  all 
who  cared  to  hear  about  the  living  God  and  the  new  way  of  Jesus, 
discussing  what  he  taught  with  all  who  wished  to  argue  or  ask 
questions.  We  do  not  know  what  he  said  to  these  Christians,  but 
this  is  part  of  what  he  afterwards  wrote  : — 

"  God  has  made  you  to  live  again,  who  were  as  dead  in  the 


348  AN  idol's  birthday. 

sins  in  which  you  used  to  live  according  to  the  way  of  the  world, 
and  the  mind  that  works  in  evil  men.  We  have  all  lived  in  this 
way,  obeying  our  seltish  desires  and  thoughts,  being  naturally 
children  of  wickedness  like  others.  But  God,  rich  in  mercy, 
because  of  His  great  love  for  us  while  we  were  as  dead,  has  made 
us  live  together  in  Jesus ;  raising  up  life  in  us  with  Him,  to  sit 
in  heavenly  places.  By  grace  you  have  been  saved,  that  in  ages 
to  come  God  might  show  His  kindness  towards  us  all,  in  Jesus 
the  Christ.  By  grace  and  through  faith  are  you  saved ;  not  of 
yourselves,  or  by  your  own  good  deeds.  Let  no  man  boast,  for 
salvation  is  the  gift  of  God.  You  are  God's  workmanship,  made 
in  Jesus,  that  you  may  do  good  works,  and  live  good  lives." 

The  synagogue  Jews  seem  to  have  been  satisfied  when  the 
Christians  left,  and  did  nothing  to  annoy  or  persecute  them. 
And  thus  the  winter,  which  was  never  severe  in  the  plain  of 
E[)hesus,  passed  into  spring,  and  the  white  snows  melted  from  the 
distant  hills,  and  the  bushes  along  the  banks  of  the  streams  broke 
forth  again  into  bud  and  blossom,  with  the  sweet,  heavy  odours  of 
almond  and  myosotis.  Then  the  temple  groves  and  the  slopes 
and  clefts  of  the  hills  swayed  again  with  trembling  leaves,  from 
the  golden  green  of  the  aspen  to  the  indigo  of  the  distant  pines. 
Lakes  and  streams  of  yellow,  hills  of  dazzling  blue,  sheets  of 
flaming  scarlet,  of  the  anemone  and  marigold,  glittered  in  the 
green  of  the  Caystrian  meadows.  When  the  nightingale  and 
stock-dove  were  heard  in  the  woods,  and  the  cry  of  the  crane 
in  the  sky,  there  came  a  season  of  rejoicing  in  the  streets  of 
Ephesus,  greater,  wilder,  madder  than  any  that  Paul  had  yet 
seen  in  all  his  travels. 


An    IdoFs    Birthday, 

EPHESUS  :     AGED    50-60. 

10NO  years  ago,  the  priests  fixed  that  the  twenty-fifth  of  May 
-^  was  the  birthday  of  the  black  doll  Diana  in  their  temple 
of  snow,  and  said  that  at  the  sweet  spring  season  of  creamy 
blossoms  and  dewy  flowers,  when  the  skies  are  purest  and  winds 
softest,  the  city  should  go  mad  with  wild  revels  and  riotous 
feasting,  the  priests  leading  the  way.  As  a  free  city,  they  had 
their  own  magistrates  and  council,  town  clerk,  juries,  and  law 
courts ;  and  the  May  games  in  honour  of  their  idols  were  so  old 
and  well  established  that  they  appointed  ten  asiarchs,  leading 
wealthy  men,  to  be  responsible  for  the  proper  management  of  the 


AN    IDOLS   BIRTHDAY.  349 

festivities,  that  lasted  for  three  days,  during  which  all  business 
was  stopped,  and  the  people  did  nothing  but  attend  the  sports 
and  the  temples,  with  feasting,  drinking,  and  worse.  The  dawn 
of  each  rosy  morning  saw  the  vast  racecourse  and  vaster  theatre 
crowded,  not  only  with  city  people,  but  with  strangers  who  came 
by  boat  and  road  from  all  parts  of  Asia  to  see  the  wild  May 
revels.  There  were  horse,  foot,  and  chariot  races,  and  fights 
between  trained  men  and  wild  beasts  that  were  kept  in  vaults 
under  the  theatre,  to  be  hoisted  up  in  their  iron  cages  and  let 
loose  in  the  wide  ring  of  yellow  sand,  where  the  men  stood  with 
drawn  swords. 

Every  day  the  thirty  gold  and  silver  figures  of  Diana  and  her 
stags,  presented  to  the  temple  by  Salutaris,  a  wealthy  Koman, 
were  carried  with  great  show  down  the  temple  steps,  through  the 
green  woods,  the  marble  colonnade,  the  Magnesium  gate,  and 
along  the  crowded  streets  towards  the  vast  theatre,  and  thence 
through  the  city  and  out  by  the  Coressian  gate,  and  back  to  the 
temple  again.  And  when  the  stars  glittered  over  the  dark  city, 
Paul  would  see  the  wild  night  procession  of  priests  in  white  robes, 
and  priestesses  with  dark  hair  hanging  down,  followed  by  crowds 
of  temple  slaves,  men  and  women,  boys  and  girls.  With  crash  of 
cymbal,  beat  of  drum,  and  blare  of  trumpet,  they  danced  in  circles 
down  the  street,  shouting  and  yelling  to  Diana,  their  faces  lit  up 
with  pine-wood  torches  held  aloft  by  slaves,  that  the  people  might 
see  their  wild  movements,  and  be  drawn  to  the  revels.  And  Paul 
knew  that  during  these  bright  May  days  whoever  went  to  the 
great  white  temple  could  join  in  the  feasting,  drinking,  and  wild 
excesses  of  every  kind  which  went  on  among  these  thick  green 
trees,  where  the  people  were  taught  to  dishonour  themselves  in 
honour  of  a  vile  black  image. 

Paul's  heart  burned  with  anger  and  pity,  and  his  voice  thrilled 
as  he  called  upon  all  who  would  listen  to  turn  from  dead  things 
and  worship  the  living  God.  The  weather  was  warm  and  sunny, 
the  people  knew  him,  and  he  spoke  openly  in  their  market-place. 
What  did  he  say  1  He  told  them  what  he  told  the  men  of  Athens 
— that  these  beautiful  things  made  by  men's  hands  were  not  gods, 
but  only  pieces  of  marble,  brass,  and  wood ;  and  the  shrine-makers 
did  not  like  this. 

In  the  butchers'  market  the  priests  sold  the  flesh  of  the  animals 
that  had  been  given  to  them  as  sacrifices  in  the  temple,  and  since 
it  cost  them  nothing,  they  could  sell  it  very  cheap,  and  poor  people 
were  glad  to  get  it ;  but  some  who  joined  the  Christians  were  not 
sure  if  they  should  eat  such  meat.  And  this  is  the  kind  of  guid- 
ance Paul  would  give  them  to  set  their  minds  at  rest,  for  he  wrote 


350  TIDINGS    FROM    CITY   TO    CITY. 

it  to  the  people  of  Corinth,  having  given  up  the  compromise 
arranged  by  James  and  his  friends  at  Jerusalem  : — 

"  Knowledge  puffs  up,  but  love  builds  up.  If  a  man  thinks  he 
knows  anything  without  God,  he  has  not  even  begun  to  know 
rightly.  But  if  a  man  loves  God,  God  is  known  to  him.  But 
about  eating  meat  which  has  been  put  before  idols.  You  know 
that  an  idol  is  nothing  in  this  world,  and  that  there  is  only  one 
living  God.  For  though  there  are  many  things  which  men  call 
gods  in  the  sky  and  earth,  to  us  there  is  but  one  God,  the  Father 
of  all,  who  made  us,  and  all  things;  and  one  Lord,  Jesus  the 
Christ.  Yet  all  men  do  not  know  this ;  and  some  being  accus- 
tomed to  think  that  idols  are  gods,  when  they  eat  food  that  has 
been  put  before  an  idol,  they  being  weak,  their  consciences  are 
uneasy,  believing  they  have  done  wrong.  Food  cannot  please  or 
displease  God ;  and  whether  we  eat  or  do  not  eat  such  meat,  it 
does  not  make  us  better  or  worse.  But  be  careful  that  in  doing 
this  you  do  not  offend  a  weak  brother ;  for  if  he  were  to  see  you 
sitting  eating  such  meat  in  the  temple  of  an  idol,  his  weak  con- 
science might  be  made  bold  to  eat  also,  although  he  believes  idols 
are  gods,  and  thinks  he  is  doing  wrong. 

"  And  so  through  your  strength  and  your  knowledge  a  weak 
one  for  whom  Jesus  died  might  be  led  to  go  against  his  conscience, 
and  so  you  would  sin  against  Jesus.  If  eating  such  meat  should 
make  my  brother  do  what  he  thinks  wrong,  I  would  not  eat  flesh 
meat  as  long  as  I  lived,  that  I  might  not  lead  him  astray." 


Tidings  from   City  to  City. 

EPHESUS:    AGED  50-60. 

SPRING,  with  sea-breezes,  white  clouds,  and  crimson  flowers 
upon  the  plain,  its  May  games,  and  streets  crowded  with 
pleasure-seekers,  came  and  went,  passing  from  green  and  gold  into 
glowing  summer,  when  everybody  sought  the  shade  of  trees  and 
covered  pathways  and  awnings  of  pale-yellow  and  white ;  for  the 
heat  in  Ephesus  was  very  great,  especially  to  those  who  were 
accustomed  to  hills.  But  the  slaves  toiled  on  unshaded,  watering 
the  fields,  trees,  and  gardens,  and  carrying  loads  to  and  from  the 
ships,  the  slave-driver  sitting  in  the  shade,  with  long  whip  in 
hand ;  for  in  all  ages  the  whip  and  the  scourge  have  been  for  the 
laden  beast  and  the  toiling  slave. 

Paul  did  not  work  in  the  city  only,  but  went  himself  and 


TIDINGS    FROM    CITY    TO    CITY.  351 

sent  out  others  along  the  great  roads  that  led  to  the  surrounding 
villages,  spreading  tlie  gospel  of  Jesus,  and  calling  on  the  people 
to  turn  from  their  dead  idols  and  worship  the  living  God.  And 
congregations  of  Christians  were  formed  up  and  down  the  great 
valleys  of  the  IMeander  and  Hermus,  covering  hundreds  of  miles 
of  the  rich  country  of  farmers,  fruit-growers,  and  shepherds, 
and  the  cities  of  Smyrna,  Laodicea,  Colosse,  Hierapolis,  Sardis, 
Philadelphia,  Pergamos,  and  Thyatira,  all  within  a  week's  ride. 
And  thus  his  teaching  spread  over  the  two  hundred  miles 
of  the  province  of  Asia,  until  Paul  could  say  that  all  the  Jews 
and  Greeks  in  these  parts  had  heard  the  gospel.  And  yet  we 
have  no  account  of  his  hundreds  of  addresses  during  these  months 
and  years.  His  letters  are  the  only  record  of  what  he  thought 
and  said  at  this  time. 

In  hot  summer  he  would  speak  to  the  people  more  often 
under  the  shade  of  a  spreading  tree  than  in  a  house,  for  in  the 
villages  there  would  be  no  meeting-place  large  enough.  And  we 
can  picture  the  people  in  their  coloured  dresses  sitting  close 
round  him  in  the  shadow,  and  some  standing  back  in  the  sun- 
shine, with  their  eyes  fixed  upon  the  dusky  face  of  the  travelling 
Jew  in  the  brown  cloak,  who  speaks  with  glowing  eyes,  as  if  life 
indeed  were  in  his  words  : — 

"Beware  lest  there  be  some  one  among  you  spoiling  you  with 
his  philosophy  and  deceitful  foolishness,  after  the  learning  of  men, 
and  the  way  of  the  world,  and  not  in  the  way  of  Jesus.  For  in 
Jesus  dwells  the  fullness  of  God,  and  in  Him  are  you  made 
full :  for  He  is  the  head  of  all  power,  in  whom  you  are  marked,  not 
with  the  mark  of  circumcision,  as  some  men  teach,  but  with  the 
changing  of  your  whole  life  through  Jesus.  In  your  baptism  it 
is  as  if  you  had  been  buried  with  Him,  and  raised  with  Him, 
through  faith  in  the  working  of  God,  who  raised  Jesus  from  the 
dead.  And  you,  who  were  as  dead  in  trespasses,  God  has  made 
to  live  together  with  Him,  having  forgiven  all  our  trespasses,  and 
taken  the  Jewish  rules  out  of  the  way,  as  if  nailed  to  the  cross  of 
Jesus. 

"  Let  no  man  blame  you  because  of  what  you  eat  or  drink,  or 
for  not  keeping  the  New  Moon  and  Sabbath  festivals,  as  some  teach. 
These  things  are  but  the  shadow,  and  Jesus  is  the  substance. 
And  let  no  man  rob  you  of  your  just  prize  of  worshipping  God, 
by  getting  you  to  worship  angels.  Such  a  man  is  vain  and  puffed 
up  in  his  mind,  not  holding  fast  to  Jesus,  our  Head,  through 
whom  we  grow  toward  God.  If  you  have  died  with  Jesus  to 
worldly  teaching,  why  would  you  keep  Jewish  rules,  as  though 
bound  by  such  things?     Touch  not,  taste  not,  handle   not;   for 


352  TIDINGS    FKOM    CITY    TO    CITY. 

they  are  the  rules  and  teachings  of  men.  For  although  they 
have  a  show  of  wisdom,  in  humility  and  will  worship,  and  severity 
to  the  body,  they  are  not  of  any  value  in  resisting  the  tempta- 
tions of  the  world." 

These  words  are  from  his  letter  to  the  people  in  Colosse,  and 
it  is  likely  that  he  wrote  other  letters,  to  other  congregations,  that 
have  been  lost.  About  this  time  he  wrote  one  to  his  friends  in 
Corinth,  which  has  been  lost.  As  you  know,  there  were  plenty 
of  boats  sailing  between  the  two  great  cities,  and  he  heard  from 
men  who  were  passing  to  and  fro  in  these  trading-boats  how  the 
Christians  were  prospering  with  Apollos  to  guide  them ;  but  the 
news  was  not  satisfactory.  The  men  of  Corinth  did  not  find  it 
easy  to  give  up  the  customs  of  idolatry  to  which  they  had  been 
used  all  their  lives,  and  in  that  letter  he  spoke  to  them  about 
their  marriages ;  and  they  replied,  asking  questions  which  we 
would  think  foolish,  for  they  thought  he  wished  them  not  to 
marry  at  all. 

He  had  now  the  care  of  many  congregations  on  his  mind, 
and  had  many  questions  to  answer ;  and  when  he  heard  of 
Christians  going  wrong,  especially  if  they  began  to  attend  the 
temple  feasts  and  revels,  it  grieved  him  deeply.  Writing  letters, 
sending  messages,  and  answering  questions  thus  became  a  most 
anxious  part  of  his  work,  in  addition  to  teaching,  and  going  to 
places  where  he  was  not  always  kindly  received. 

One  of  these  letters,  of  which  the  place  is  not  fixed,  is 
to  Titus,  of  whom  we  last  heard  at  Antioch,  twelve  years  ago. 
During  all  these  years  he  had  been  working  as  a  Christian 
teacher  in  different  places;  and  although  we  are  not  told  of  his 
meetings  with  Paul,  there  need  be  little  doubt  that  they  some- 
times met.  Paul  speaks  in  the  letter  of  having  left  him  in  the 
island  of  Crete,  to  work  there ;  and  this  may  mean  either  that  on 
some  of  his  voyages  he  called  at  Crete,  or  that  Titus  went  to 
Crete  by  his  orders.  As  if  Titus  had  a  special  charge  over  the 
Christians  of  that  island,  he  gives  him  advice  and  guidance  about 
what  to  do,  in  much  the  same  manner  as  in  his  letter  to  Timothy ; 
and  I  shall  give  a  sketch  of  the  narrative  parts,  leaving  you  to 
read  the  complete  letter  in  your  Bible. 

He  calls  the  young  Greek  his  true  child  in  their  common 
Christianity.  He  had  left  him  to  put  in  order  the  congregations 
in  Crete,  with  office-bearers,  men  of  blameless  life  and  ability,  to 
rule  and  teach  as  he  said — "Beware  of  foolish  talkers,  who 
teach  for  money,  especially  they  who  teach  Jewish  tales  and  the 
traditions  of  the  rabbis."  Epimenides,  a  Cretan,  who  wrote  six 
hundred  years  before   Paul  was   born,  said  of  the  Cretans  that 


A   SHORT   SAIL.  363 

they  were  liars,  wild  beasts,  and  idle  gluttons ;  and,  curiously- 
enough,  Paul  calls  him  a  "prophet."  Husbands  and  wives,  sisters 
and  brothers,  children  and  parents,  slaves  and  masters,  are  to  be 
instructed  in  their  duty,  and  rulers  and  magistrates  are  to  be 
obeyed ;  and  Titus  is  to  let  no  one  despise  him.  He  intends  to 
send  Artemas  or  Tychicus  to  him,  and  to  spend  the  winter  him- 
self at  Nicopolis,  where  he  wishes  Titus  to  meet  him.  He  is 
to  help  Zenas  the  lawyer  and  Apollos  on  their  journey.  And 
with  greetings  to  all  the  Christians,  he  closes  what  is  a  short 
private  letter  of  guidance  to  a  young  friend,  who,  wherever  he 
was  working,  would  look  to  the  older  apostle  for  advice  and 
instruction. 


A  Short  Sail. 

CORINTH:     AGED    50-60. 

THE  state  of  the  Christians  in  Corinth  now  gave  Paul  much 
concern.  Theirs  is  the  only  congregation  to  which  he 
wrote  three  letters,  and  there  is  little  doubt  that  about  this  time 
he  sailed  across  to  pay  then)  a  hurried  visit,  probably  in  the 
spring,  when  boats  were  pulled  down  and  sails  shaken  out,  and 
the  trade  between  the  cities  started  afresh  after  the  storms  of 
winter.  He  had  something  very  serious  to  say  to  them,  as  we 
learn  from  the  letter  that  followed.  Again,  in  a  swaying  boat, 
he  saw  the  white  temple  of  Diana  as  he  sailed  round  the  cape 
of  Sunium ;  again  the  sunlight  burned  on  Minerva's  helmet  over 
Athens ;  again  he  rode  up  the  paved  road,  to  stand  among  his 
friends  in  Justus's  house,  next  to  the  carved  door  of  the  Jewish 
synagogue.  This  is  part  of  what  he  wrote  in  the  letter  which 
followed,  and  it  is  likely  that  they  listened  to  similar  words 
from  the  man  with  heart  on  fire  who  had  come  across  the  sea  to 
speak  to  them  : — 

"I  am  told  that  there  is  actually  unfaithfulness  among  you, 
such  as  is  not  to  be  found  among  idol- worshippers.  I  wrote  you 
in  my  letter  to  have  no  companionship  with  unfaithful  men, 
or  men  who  are  greedy,  extortioners,  or  worshippers  of  idols  j 
and  if  any  Christian  is  unfaithful,  covetous,  a  reviler,  drunkard, 
or  worshipper  of  an  idol,  do  not  eat  food  with  him.  Put  out  the 
wicked  man  from  among  you. 

"  Would  any  of  you  that  has  a  complaint  against  a  Christian 
dare  to  bring  a  case  at  law  against  him  before  an  unbelieving 
judge,  and  not  bring   the   matter   before   the   congregation?     If 

a.040)  23 


354  A   SHORT    SAIL. 

such  things  have  to  be  judged  among  you,  why  go  before  judges 
who  are  not  in  your  congregation  ?  I  wish  to  make  you 
ashamed.  Can  there  not  be  found  among  you  one  wise  man  able 
to  decide  between  two  Christians,  but  that  you  must  go  to  law 
before  unbelievers  ?  These  lawsuits  one  with  another  are  a  great 
defect  in  you.  Why  not  rather  be  wronged  and  defrauded,  seeing 
tliat  you  wrong  and  defraud  others  ?  Do  you  not  know  that  un- 
righteous men  shall  not  enter  the  kingdom  of  God  ?  Do  not  be 
deceived :  unfaithful  persons,  worshippers  of  idols,  thieves, 
covetous,  drunkards,  evil-speakers,  extortioners  shall  not  enter 
the  kingdom  of  God.  And  some  of  you  are  such  :  but  you  were 
washed  and  made  pure  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  the  Christ, 
and  in  the  Spirit  of  our  God. 

"  Things  may  be  right  to  do  that  are  not  expedient ;  for  they 
would  cause  harm.  Let  no  man  seek  his  own  good  only,  but  also 
his  neighbour's  good.  Eat  whatever  flesh  meat  is  sold  in  the 
market,  asking  no  questions  for  the  sake  of  your  conscience. 
The  earth  is  the  Lord's,  and  the  fullness  thereof.  If  one  who  is  not 
a  Christian  invites  you  to  a  feast,  eat  whatever  he  puts  before  you, 
asking  no  questions  for  the  sake  of  your  conscience.  If  some 
one  should  tell  you  that  the  meat  was  offered  on  an  idol's  altar, 
then,  for  his  and  for  your  own  sake,  do  not  eat  it.  But  whether 
you  eat,  or  drink,  or  whatever  you  do,  do  it  to  the  glory  of  God ; 
and  give  no  cause  for  stumbling,  either  to  Jews,  or  foreigners, 
or  the  Christian  congregation.  I  seek  to  please  all  men  in  all 
things,  seeking  not  my  own  profit,  but  their  good.  Imitate  me, 
even  as  I  imitate  Jesus. 

"Follow  after  love,  earnestly  desire  spiritual  gifts,  but  rather 
that  you  may  speak  inspired  words.  Brothers,  be  not  children 
in  your  minds,  but  men;  but  in  malice  be  babes.  Speaking 
inspired  words  is  better  for  Christians  than  speaking  with 
tongues.  If,  when  the  congregation  is  gathered  together,  all  were 
to  speak  strange  languages,  and  unbelievers  were  to  come  in, 
would  they  not  say  you  were  all  mad  ?  But  if  you  speak 
inspired  words,  and  an  unbeliever  were  to  come  in,  he  would  be 
convinced  and  judged,  the  secrets  of  his  heart  being  made  known, 
and  would  fall  upon  his  face  and  worship  God,  declaring  that 
God  was  indeed  among  you. 

"When  you  meet,  it  is  confusion;  for  each  one  has  a  psalm, 
teaching,  revelation,  strange  language,  or  interpretation  to  tell. 
Let  all  things  be  done  rightly.  If  any  wish  to  speak  in  a  strange 
language,  let  it  be  one,  two,  or  three  at  most,  and  in  turn;  and 
let  one  interpret  what  is  said.  If  there  be  no  interpreter,  let 
them  keep  silence,  and  speak  to  themselves  and  God.     Let  two  or 


BUKNING   THE   WIZARDS*   BOOKS.  355 

three  teachers  speak,  and  the  others  listen.  But  if  one  who  is 
sitting  should  have  a  revelation  from  God,  let  him  speak,  and 
the  others  keep  silence. 

"One  at  a  time  you  can  all  speak,  that  all  may  learn  and 
all  be  taught,  keeping  control  of  yourselves  :  for  God  loves  not 
confusion,  but  peace,  in  all  congregations  of  Christians.  If  any 
one  of  you  thinks  he  is  a  speaker,  or  spiritually  gifted,  let 
him  know  that  what  I  say  is  the  commandment  of  God  ;  and  if 
any  is  ignorant  of  this,  let  him  alone.  Therefore,  my  brothers, 
earnestly  desire  to  speak  inspired  words,  and  do  not  forbid  speak- 
ing in  strange  languages;  but  let  everything  be  done  decently 
and  in  order." 

If  Paul  met  Apollos  there,  it  was  not  to  find  fault  wdth  him.  He 
had  laid  the  broad  foundation,  and  Apollos  was  building  upon  it. 
There  was  much  to  give  him  anxiety  in  the  state  of  the  Christians 
at  Corinth,  but  he  could  not  stay  with  them,  and  soon  he  was  in 
a  boat,  under  a  spreading  sail,  with  the  free  wind  blowing  in  his 
face,  and  the  white-tipped  waves  rushing  past  and  dashing  their 
spray  over  him,  as  he  sailed  back  through  isles  of  green  trees  and 
dark  rocks,  the  islands  of  the  Cyclades,  with  the  outline  of  the 
blue  mountains  of  Asia  rising  in  a  heat  haze  before  him. 


Burning  the   Wizards'    Books. 

EPHESUS:     AGED    50-60. 

SOOIST  Paul  was  back  again  in  Ephesus,  where  the  people  looked 
upon  him  with  greater  wonder  than  they  did  in  Corinth. 
The  city  was  noted  for  magicians,  sorcerers,  wizards,  astrologers, 
diviners,  fortune-tellers,  prophets,  cheats,  jugglers,  charlatans,  who 
imposed  on  the  people,  and  made  money  out  of  them,  in  the  name 
of  religion,  and  also  for  sheer  fun  and  wickedness.  Many  said 
they  were  wonder-workers ;  and,  as  in  India  to-day,  some  were 
very  clever  men,  who  could  do  tricks  that  people  thought  im- 
possible, and  called  miracles.  And  they  sold  charms  and  incanta- 
tions to  work  wonders  with.  But  their  real  aims  were  money 
and  power ;  and  this  suited  the  priests,  curiosity-sellers,  jewel- 
lers, and  merchants,  for  it  brought  custom  to  their  temples  and 
shops,  and  they  encouraged  the  traffic  in  such  foolishness.  The 
jewellers  made  coral  necklaces,  bead  bracelets,  silver  and  gold 
anklets  and  rings,  and  cut  curious  stones,  and  made  little  figures 
of  Diana,  and  the  magicians  told    them  what  words   and   signs 


356  BURNING    THE    WIZARDS'    BOOKS. 

to  carve  on  them ;  and  these  were  the  charms  that  kept  off  harm. 
Every  child  had  something  of  that  sort  round  his  little  neck,  to 
keep  off  the  evil  eye,  as  they  called  it.  In  that  country  still, 
mothers  think  their  children  are  in  great  danger  if  an  English 
person  looks  at  them  and  they  have  not  on  a  charm  of  some 
kind. 

In  Paul's  day,  people  wore  a  few  senseless  words  written  on  a 
piece  of  parchment,  which,  they  said,  tied  on  the  arm,  or  dipped 
in  drinking  water,  would  cure  all  diseases.  Others  looked  at  the 
stars,  and  for  a  very  small  coin  would  tell  what  your  life  would  be, 
and  whom  you  would  marry ;  and  there  were  many  foolish  people 
who  paid  the  money  and  believed  the  nonsense.  And  these  little 
charms  with  letters  written  on  them  were  known  far  and  wide  as 
Ephesian  letters.  The  men  and  women  of  the  city  therefore 
believed  in  miracles,  if  there  was  only  enough  of  wonder  and 
secrecy  about  them ;  and  whatever  they  could  not  understand 
they  called  a  miracle,  as  the  easiest  way  to  account  for  it. 

We  read  that  God  worked  special  powers  through  Paul  in 
Ephesus,  but  we  are  not  told  what  they  were,  and  he  does  not 
mention  them  in  his  letters.  But  it  is  easy  to  see  that  these 
superstitious  people  would  see  wonders,  and  make  up  more,  in 
connection  with  so  great  a  man,  who  spoke  to  them  in  the  name 
of  the  living,  unseen  God.  They  were  daily  accustomed  to  see  signs 
and  look  for  wonders,  and  we  are  not  surprised  to  read  that  the 
common  people  came  about  Paul,  as  he  spoke  in  the  market-place, 
and  touched  him  with  their  napkins  and  aprons,  and  carrying 
them  away  to  their  sick  friends,  said  that  at  their  touch  the 
diseases  left  them,  and  bad  spirits  went  out.  But  this  is  so 
unlike  Paul  in  other  cities,  that  it  may  be  doubted  if  he  knew 
what  these  superstitious  people  were  doing. 

We  are  also  told  that  strolling  Jews,  who  pretended  to  have 
wonderful  powers  like  the  wizards  of  the  city,  and  said  they  could 
send  bad  spirits  out  of  people,  began  to  use  the  name  of  Jesus 
in  the  wild  incantations  and  silly  words  which  they  repeated 
with  mysterious  gestures  and  strange  dancing,  saying  as  they  did 
so,  "I  charge  you  by  Jesus,  whom  Paul  preaches,  come  out." 

The  seven  sons  of  Sceva,  a  chief  priest  of  Jerusalem,  used  to 
go  about  the  city  pretending  to  cure  people  in  this  way,  and  two 
of  them  tried  it  in  the  house  of  a  wild  man  ;  and  we  are  told  that 
he  replied  to  their  foolish  gestures,  "Jesus  I  know,  and  Paul  I 
know  ^  but  who  are  your'  And  springing  on  them,  he  tore  off 
their  long  wizards'  cloaks  and  coloured  tunics,  and  wounding  them, 
drove  them  out  into  the  street.  When  this  was  told  among  the 
people,  those  who  were  using  the  name  of  Jesus  in  their  silly 


BURNING   THE    WIZARDS'    BOOKS.  357 

rhymes  were  afraid  to  do  so  any  more;  and  the  Christians  re- 
joiced. 

And  then  many  of  those  who,  on  becoming  Christians,  gave 
up  miracles  and  magic,  came  forward  and  publicly  confessed  the 
foolishness  of  their  trade,  telling  how  they  cheated  the  people. 
There  were  many  books  about  magic,  astrology,  and  incantations 
that  had  been  written  by  cheats  and  swindlers  for  hundreds  of 
years;  and  these  the  people  brought  out  of  their  houses,  and 
making  a  heap,  they  set  fire  to  them.  And  as  they  were  not 
heavy  volumes  like  ours,  but  open  rolls  of  dry  papyrus,  they 
made  a  great  heap,  and  burned  with  a  quick  flame  that  rose 
higher  than  the  houses;  and  the  sight  of  these  burning  rolls 
greatly  impressed  the  people  with  the  power  of  Paul's  teaching. 
They  had  been  written  by  the  pens  of  careful  scribes;  and  as 
some  were  old,  the  work  of  great  bygone  wizards  and  cheats,  and 
could  not  be  replaced,  and  as  they  were  all  expensive,  it  is  not 
surprising  that  those  who  saw  the  fire  said  that  the  manuscripts 
burned  that  day  could  have  been  sold  for  more  than  a  thousand 
pounds. 

What  did  Paul  say  to  these  miracle-workers  and  silly  sor- 
cerers, these  people  who  believed  in  ghosts  and  wizards,  incanta- 
tions and  charms,  that  caused  them  to  change,  and  regard  such 
things  as  foolishness,  and  turn  to  Jesus  and  the  higher  life? 
This  is  what  he  wrote  in  his  letter  to  them  : — 

"  Let  no  man  deceive  you  with  empty  words,  lest  the  anger  of 
God  should  come  upon  you.  Have  nothing  to  do  with  disobedient 
men.  You  were  once  in  darkness,  but  are  now  in  the  light  of 
God.  Live  as  children  of  the  light.  The  fruits  of  the  light 
are  goodness,  righteousness,  and  truth,  which  are  all  pleasing  to 
God.  Have  nothing  to  do  with  unfruitful  deeds  of  darkness,  but 
resist  them.  For  it  is  a  shame  even  to  speak  of  the  things  which 
are  done  in  secret  by  such  men.  Such  things,  when  they  are  re- 
buked, are  brought  forth  to  the  light,  and  seen.  Awake,  you  who 
sleep ;  arise  as  from  the  dead,  and  Jesus  will  shine  upon  you." 

His  teaching  prevailed  not  only  against  the  miracle- workers 
and  cheats,  but  also  against  the  worship  of  idols  in  their  white 
temples  throughout  Asia.  Apollos  and  Aquila  had  prepared  the 
way  for  his  broad  teaching;  and  five  hundred  years  before 
Apollos,  Heraclius,  an  Ephesian  philosopher,  and  also  a  learned 
Jew,  had  denounced  the  horrid  idol- worship  of  the  temple.  The 
influence  of  the  Jews  and  their  worship  in  the  city  was  consider- 
able, for  they  had  got  the  right  from  a  Roman  governor,  Dolabella, 
to  meet  together  and  worship  God  in  their  own  way. 

Yet  Paul  toiled  and  suffered  in  Ephesus,  for  during  all  the 


858  THE    SLAVES   OF   CHLOE. 

time  of  his  stay  he  worked  at  weaving  and  sewing  the  hard  cloth 
of  striped  brown  and  blue,  of  green  and  yellow,  for  his  tents; 
and  he  also  went  from  door  to  door,  and  house  to  house,  persuad- 
ing people  to  listen  to  the  gospel.  Often,  too,  when  he  spoke  in 
meetings,  riotous  people  came  in  and  broke  them  up ;  so  that 
while  his  work  prospered,  it  was  not  without  toil  and  suffering, 
hardship  and  danger  to  him.  In  one  place  he  says  he  fought  with 
beasts  at  Ephesus.  Whether  this  was  as  a  prisoner  in  the  arena, 
we  do  not  know;  but  that  he  suffered  much  ill-usage,  that  de- 
pressed his  spirits,  and  was  in  danger  of  his  life,  is  certain,  for 
we  read  that  Aquila  saved  him  at  the  risk  of  his  own  life. 

Once  more  the  old  feeling  of  traveller's  unrest  came  over  him. 
Others  could  carry  on  the  work  in  Ephesus,  but  they  could  not  do 
what  lay  before  him  in  other  lands.  He  wished  to  cover  the 
Koman  Empire  with  the  religion  of  Jesus  ;  and  he  told  his  com- 
panions that  it  was  in  his  mind  to  go  by  ship  to  Corinth,  and 
thence  to  ride  back  through  Greece  into  Macedonia,  visiting  Thes- 
salonica  and  Philippi,  before  sailing  for  Jerusalem,  with  this  star 
of  hope  still  shining  in  the  heavens, — 

"After  I  have  been  to  Jerusalem,  I  must  also  see  Rome." 
He  did  not,  however,  start  at  once,  for  work  was  crowding  in 
upon  him.  He  made  plans,  and  changed  them  ;  for  his  congrega- 
tions were  many  and  widespread,  and  the  messages  he  received 
were  so  weighty  that  he  had  to  toil  on  from  day  to  day,  giving 
up  his  own  wishes  to  the  pressing  duties  that  lay  to  his  hand, 
but  hoping  soon  to  depart  to  other  cities. 


The  Slaves  of  Chloe. 

EPHESUS:     AGED    50-60. 

APOLLOS  came  back  from  Corinth,  bringing  news  of  the 
^  Christians — in  some  things  good,  in  others  very  bad;  and 
Paul  saw  that  they  were  not  keeping  to  the  simple  gospel  of  Jesus 
as  he  taught  them,  but  were  troubling  themselves  about  many 
questions,  and  mixing  up  a  large  share  of  the  old  idolatrous  cus- 
toms with  their  new  life — feasting,  drinking,  revelling,  like  the 
idol-worshippers  in  the  temples.  Apollos  was  not  willing  to  return 
to  Corinth,  and  Paul  sent  his  young  friend  Timothy,  accompanied 
by  Erastus  of  Ephesus. 

A  boat  arrived,  and  in  it  were  some  of  the  slaves  of  Chloe  of 
Corinth,  and  they  too  brought  news  of  the  strange  doings  of  some  of 


THE  SLAVES  OF  CHLOE.  359 

the  Christians ;  and  he  heard  disquieting  stories,  too,  from  Stephen, 
Fortunatus,  and  Achaicus,  and  this  caused  him  much  anxiety  and 
distress.  Timothy  was  going  by  Macedonia,  but  that  was  too  slow. 
These  men  of  Corinth  must  be  spoken  to  at  once ;  and  he  wrote 
them  a  letter,  sending  it  by  a  special  messenger,  supposed  to  be 
Titus.  It  is  to  the  Christians  at  Corinth,  but  was  intended  to  be 
read  in  surrounding  places,  and  a  great  part  of  it  is  about  men 
who  were  combining  the  customs  and  practices  of  idolatry  with 
the  life  and  worship  of  Christians.  Portions  of  this  letter  have 
already  been  referred  to,  and  other  parts  will  be  mentioned  later 
on.  Only  the  business  parts  will  be  given  here,  and  you  can  read 
the  whole  in  your  Bible. 

It  is  long,  and  Paul  would  take  many  days  to  write  it,  sitting 
in  the  house  of  Aquila  the  weaver,  the  meeting-place  of  the  Chris- 
tians. He  would  not  write  at  night,  for  lights  were  bad,  but  with 
the  sunshine  of  autumn  on  the  page.  Who  wrote  as  he  spoke, 
now  that  Timothy  was  away,  we  do  not  know — perhaps  Titus. 
Others  were  sitting  round  him  in  silence,  for  he  sent  messages 
from  them;  and  the  letter  is  also  from  Sosthenes,  who  was  help- 
ing him  in  Ephesus,  and  knew  the  Corinthians  well. 

He  told  them  that  he  had  heard  from  Chloe's  slaves  of  their 
divisions  and  disputes  about  being  followers  of  Paul,  or  Apollos, 
or  Peter,  or  Jesus,  and  bade  them  join  and  be  of  one  mind  in 
Jesus ;  and  he  told  them  he  had  sent  Timothy,  his  beloved  child, 
to  remind  them  of  what  he  himself  taught  when  living  with  them. 
There  were  some  among  them  who  were  puffed  up,  speaking  against 
the  gospel,  as  if  he  would  never  be  in  Corinth  again  ;  but  he  would 
come  soon,  and  would  test  the  power  of  these  talkers.  Some  were 
still  following  the  marriage  practices  of  the  idol-worshippers,  one 
man  in  particular,  and  the  rest  were  not  blaming  him.  They  must 
stop  it  at  once,  and  put  him  out  of  the  congregation  if  necessary. 

He  had  heard  of  their  lawsuits,  and  uses  some  very  strong 
words,  showing  that  some  of  the  people  who  joined  the  Chris- 
tians had  turned  out  very  bad,  and  that  the  congregation  was  much 
in  need  of  correction.  We  must  bear  in  mind,  however,  that  many 
were  ignorant  slaves,  and  not  a  few  were  from  the  lowest  of  the 
people,  for  no  one  was  too  low  for  Paul  to  pity  and  save.  He 
reminded  them  of  a  thought  of  Jesus,  which  he  often  repeated,  "  Do 
you  not  know  that  your  body  is  a  temple  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which 
is  in  you,  and  which  you  have  from  God  1 "  If  anything  could  in- 
duce them  to  give  up  the  vicious  customs  of  the  temples,  it  would 
be  the  luminous  thought  of  God  dwelling  in  them,  and  that  they 
must  not  dishonour  His  temple. 

They  asked  strange  questions  about  marriage,  and  in  his  reply 


360  THE   SLAVES   OF    CHLOE. 

he  said  that  sometimes  he  had,  and  sometimes  he  had  not,  the 
guidance  of  God  in  his  answers.  Paul  was  not  married,  and 
never  knew  what  it  was  to  have  a  wife  to  share  his  thoughts, 
or  little  children  to  melt  his  judgments,  or  his  writings  about 
them  might  have  been  different;  for  he  laid  down  rules  for 
women  to  which  no  regard  is  now  paid,  and  he  seldom  referred 
to  children. 

Some  of  them  wished  to  know,  if  a  man  became  a  Christian, 
could  he  send  away  his  wife  if  she  would  not  become  one  too; 
others  wished  to  know  if  they  should  let  their  daughters  marry ; 
others  were  concerned  about  the  meat  they  bought  in  the  market, 
that  had  come  from  the  idols'  temples :  and  to  all  he  gave  their 
answer. 

His  enemies  had  told  them  that  he  was  not  an  apostle,  and  he 
replied  that  he  was.  Apostle  means  "  one  sent  to  teach  ;"  and  he 
meant  that  he  had  been  sent  to  teach  as  much  as  any  man,  adding 
proudly  that  they  themselves  were  the  proof  of  his  teaching,  for 
he  had  formed  their  congregation.  He  had  had  visions,  too ;  and 
whereas  other  apostles  and  teachers  lived  at  the  expense  of  the 
people  they  came  to  teach,  he  worked,  and  kept  himself,  although 
he  might  have  asked  them  to  keep  him. 

Some  of  them  were  making  a  drunken  feast  of  their  meals  to- 
gether, as  they  used  to  do  in  the  temples  of  the  idols;  and  he 
checked  them  sharply,  for  it  deeply  grieved  him  that  they,  in 
memory  of  Jesus,  should  feast  in  such  a  shocking  way.  It  was 
not  possible  to  call  such  feasts  the  Lord's  Supper. 

They  were  also  concerned  about  whether  women  should  be 
allowed  to  speak  in  their  meetings,  and  how  they  should  dress 
and  wear  their  hair ;  and  he  answered  that  also,  but  his  answers 
have  less  interest  for  us  now.  The  difficulty  with  them  was,  that 
whereas  Jewish  women  wore  a  white  veil  and  sat  behind  a  screen 
in  their  synagogue,  Greek  women  did  not,  and  thought  rightly 
enough  that  they  had  as  much  right  to  speak  as  men,  when  they 
believed  God  had  given  them  something  to  say. 

They  had  also  asked  for  guidance  about  when  a  man  should  be 
listened  to  in  their  meetings  as  if  he  had  a  message  from  God,  and 
when  he  should  not;  for  some  uttered  wild  things,  and  others  could 
not  be  understood  at  all,  and  some  said  wicked  things  in  their 
excitement,  and  others  spoke  well.  These  were  hard  matters, 
and  he  answered  them  in  a  firm  and  calm  way,  although  there 
are  some  things  difficult  to  understand,  about  speaking  in  un- 
known languages,  which  have  only  a  historical  interest,  as  there 
is  none  of  it  now.  He  gave  them,  however,  a  clear  guiding  line. 
No  one  could  be  guided  by  the  Spirit  of  God  who  spoke  against 


THE  SLAVES  OF  CHLOE.  361 

Jesus ;  and  whoever  said  Jesus  was  the  Lord  was  guided  by  His 
Spirit.  Reminding  them  of  one  of  the  most  beautiful  sayings  of 
Jesus  to  His  disciples,  he  said  they  were  to  have  earnest  love  one 
toward  anotlier;  for  unless  they  had  that,  spiritual  gifts  would 
be  of  no  use. 

In  a  very  few  words  he  summed  up  the  gospel  which  he  preached 
to  them,  and  which  they  believed,  and  must  hold  fast.  He  also 
explained  the  meaning  of  the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  and 
answered  them  that  their  bodies  would  die,  but  their  spirits 
would  live,  for  flesh  and  blood  could  not  inherit  the  kingdom 
of  heaven. 

Regarding  the  collection  for  the  poor  Christians  at  Jerusalem, 
they  were  to  put  past  a  little  every  Sabbath  day,  so  that  no  col- 
lections would  have  to  be  made  when  he  came ;  and  he  would 
settle  Avho  should  carry  it  to  Jerusalem,  and  might  even  take  it 
himself.  He  was  coming  through  Macedonia,  and  might  stay 
with  them  for  a  time,  or  even  over  the  winter,  but  would  not 
leave  Ephesus  till  the  beginning  of  summer,  as  he  had  much  to 
do,  and  many  adversaries. 

If  Timothy  came,  tliey  were  to  help  him  to  return  to  him  soon. 
He  had  besought  Apollos  much  to  go  with  the  others  to  Corinth, 
but  he  would  not  return  until  later.  He  begged  them  to  be 
obedient,  and  was  glad  when  Stephen,  Fortunatus,  and  Achaicus 
arrived  Avith  their  messages.  All  the  congregations  in  Asia  sent 
them  greetings,  and  especially  their  old  friends  Aquila  and  Pris- 
cilla,  who  did  so  much;  and  the  congregation  that  met  in  their 
house,  and  all  his  own  friends ;  adding  this  last  splendid  message, 
like  the  trumpet  note  of  an  old  commander  to  men  who  were 
holding  a  city  for  him,  "  Watch  ye,  stand  fast  in  the  faith,  quit 
you  like  men,  be  strong.  Let  everything  be  done  in  love."  As 
usual,  when  the  long  letter  had  been  read  over  to  him  and  cor- 
rected and  copied,  he  took  the  reed  pen  from  his  young  clerk's 
hand,  and  leaning  over  the  roll,  wrote  for  a  time  in  large  black 
letters.  When  he  finished,  this  is  what  he  had  written  as  his 
final  message  to  his  friends  at  Corinth  : — 

"  The  good  wishes  of  me,  Paul ;  I  write  with  mine  own  hand. 
If  any  man  loveth  not  the  Lord,  let  him  be  cursed.  Jesus  comes. 
May  His  favour  be  with  you.     My  love  be  with  you  in  Him." 


862  THE  silversmith's  speech. 

The  Silversmith's  Speech. 

EPHESUS:    AGED  50-60. 

THE  long  letter  would  cover  many  yards  of  yellow  papyrus 
paper,  and  would  be  a  large  bundle  when  rolled  on  a  stick. 
It  would  be  carefully  wrapped  up  with  a  strong  outside  cover  of 
cloth,  sealed,  and  directed  to  a  friend  in  the  city  over  the  sea,  and 
given  to  a  trusted  messenger,  who  carried  it  from  city  to  city. 
We  read  that  letter  with  calmness  now,  but  we  can  have  little  idea 
of  the  effect  which  it  would  have  on  the  defaulting  members  of 
the  congregation,  as  they  sat  listening  to  the  command,  that 
they  were  to  cease  from  their  wickedness  or  leave  the  congrega- 
tion ;  for  they  looked  upon  what  he  said  as  a  message  from  God. 
They  were  glad  that  he  was  coming  to  visit  them,  for  his  letter 
raised  many  more  questions  which  they  wished  to  ask  him. 

Meanwhile  he  remained  in  Ephesus,  not  living  a  quiet  life; 
for  the  great  interest  which  his  teaching  aroused  raised  up  many 
enemies,  who  gave  him  much  trouble  and  anxiety.  They  sought 
to  frighten  him  away  with  threats.  But  he  was  not  to  be  fright- 
ened. He  kept  out  of  their  way,  but  did  not  slacken  his  energy, 
or  the  energy  of  those  around  him,  sending  them  out  to  other 
places  in  Asia. 

He  did  not  assail  the  great  white  temple  or  the  black  idol, 
but  the  effect  of  his  teaching  was  to  draw  people  away  from  them, 
to  worship  the  living  God ;  and  the  temple  was  a  source  of  wealth 
to  the  city.  People  came  as  pilgrims  in  great  numbers,  and  the 
flower  processions  of  the  priests  by  day,  and  torch  processions  by 
night,  and  their  feasts,  revels,  and  public  games  for  a  month, 
brought  profit  to  the  citizens,  who  let  their  lodgings,  and  sold 
food,  clothing,  fruit,  wine,  and  many  other  things  which  holiday 
keepers  like.  The  temple  also  had  thousands  of  priests,  priestesses, 
gardeners,  bakers,  guards,  tradespeople,  men  and  women  and  boy 
and  girl  slaves,  who  all  lived  by  it,  while  the  townspeople  got 
cheap  food  in  the  market  which  had  been  given  in  presents  to 
the  temple. 

The  pilgrims  also  bought  Ephesian  charms  in  wood,  metal,  and 
stone,  and  mystic  books ;  but  the  favourite  was  a  little  model  of 
the  white  temple  and  black  idol,  made  of  silver  and  gold  for  the 
rich,  white  marble  for  the  middle  class,  and  red  terra-cotta  for  the 
poor.  Although  they  were  only  models  of  the  sloping  roof  and 
the  front  pillars,  with  a  little  figure  sitting  among  them,  they  were 
much  prized ;  for  the  priests  and  others  who  sold  them  said  they 


THE  silversmith's    SPEECH.  363 

had  power  to  keep  harm  away,  and  mothers  hung  them  round 
their  children's  necks,  lovers  gave  them  to  each  other,  people  took 
them  on  a  voyage  or  a  journey,  or  set  them  up  over  their  house 
door,  and  some  even  had  them  buried  with  them,  as  the  Egyptians 
long  ago  did  with  their  little  figures  of  blue  china. 

The  tradespeople  and  merchants  cared  little  about  the  religion 
of  the  Christians ;  but  when  they  found  their  business  falling  off, 
and  that  they  were  losing  money  through  the  new  teaching  of  this 
travelling  Jew  in  the  brown  cloak,  who  was  making  his  home  in 
their  city,  resentment  and  discontent  rose,  and  they  began  to  say 
to  each  other  that,  if  it  did  not  stop,  a  good  many  of  them  would 
be  ruined.  Paul  and  his  friends  had  been  discussing  with  their 
opponents  whether  men  should  keep  to  the  old  way  of  worshipping 
idols  of  wood  and  stone,  or  turn  to  the  new  way  of  worshipping 
the  living  God  and  living  the  higher  life  in  Jesus.  Perhaps  they 
had  been  speaking  to  the  people  in  the  market-place  and  stirring 
them  up,  for  there  the  trouble  began. 

Demetrius,  a  rich  silversmith,  called  together  the  silversmiths, 
potters,  workers  in  metal,  jewellers,  marble  and  wood  carvers, 
butchers,  weavers,  slipper-makers,  and  all  the  tradespeople  who 
made  a  profit  by  the  great  white  temple.  He  called  them  out  of 
their  booths,  stalls,  and  shops,  to  stand  among  the  trees  and 
statues  in  midst  of  the  wide  pavement ;  and  as  it  held  many 
thousands,  he  would  have  to  stand  on  the  base  of  a  statue  to  be 
seen,  while  he  put  into  a  speech  what  they  had  all  been  saying  to 
each  other  for  days  and  weeks  in  the  bazaars  and  markets, ^ — 

"Sirs,  you  know  that  by  our  business  we  have  made  our 
wealth.  And  you  all  see  and  hear  that,  not  only  in  Ephesus,  but 
almost  throughout  the  whole  province  of  Asia,  this  Paul  has  per- 
suaded and  turned  away  many  people  from  buying  shrines,  saying 
that  things  made  with  men's  hands  are  not  gods  at  all." 

He  had  to  speak  in  a  loud  voice  to  be  heard  by  the  crowd 
gathered  in  the  heat  of  that  autumn  day,  and  what  he  said  was 
true.     Now  he  came  to  the  effect  upon  their  business  and  purses. 

"Not  only,"  he  continued,  "is  there  danger  that  our  trade  of 
shrine-makers  will  be  thought  disreputable,  but  the  temple  of  the 
great  goddess  Diana  will  be  made  of  no  account,  and  she  who  is 
worshipped  by  the  province  of  Asia,  and  all  the  world  beside,  will 
be  brought  down  from  her  magnificence." 

His  speech  stirred  the  people  deeply,  for  he  was  a  clever  man, 
and  brought  to  a  head  the  feeling  that  their  loss  of  business  was 
the  work  of  that  travelling  Jew  in  the  brown  cloak,  finishing  off 
with  a  picture  of  Diana  upset,  the  great  temple  deserted,  and  no 
more  thronging  pilgrims  in  their  bazaars.      Some  in  the  crowd 


364  "GREAT    IS    DIANA!'' 

thought  it  was  impossible,  but  many  had  felt  the  change,  and 
were  ready  to  do  something.  Just  as  in  an  English  crowd,  after 
a  telling  speech,  a  single  voice  calls  for  three  cheers  for  the 
Queen,  that  are  heartily  given,  some  one  shouted,  "  Great  is  Diana 
of  the  Ephesians ! " — no  doubt  a  common  cry  among  them. 
Again  the  hot  iron  had  been  hit,  and  at  once  the  cry  was 
repeated  by  hundreds  of  voices;  and  the  louder  it  rose,  the 
more  confident  they  were  of  Diana's  greatness— convinced  by 
shouting.  But  what  next  1  The  market  was  not  the  place  to  do 
anything  worth  while.  They  must  rouse  the  city,  and  gather  in 
their  thousands  in  the  great  theatre.  And  the  traders  broke  up 
into  bands,  thronging  out  by  the  stone  arches  of  the  market, 
to  shout  through  the  streets,  and  draw  idle  people  after  them 
away  to  the  vast  theatre.  Paul,  however,  knew  nothing  of  what 
was  happening,  or  of  the  danger  he  was  in. 


•*  Great  is  Diana!" 

EPHESUS:    AGED  50-60. 

THE  men  in  the  streets  wondered  what  was  the  matter  when 
the  traders  were  shouting  so ;  and  as  in  England  people 
follow  to  a  fire,  so  they  followed  with  the  crowd.  They  poured 
into  the  open-air  theatre,  running  up  the  stone  stairs,  along 
passages,  over  backs  and  rows  of  seats  in  tier  above  tier  to  the 
blue  sky.  The  vast  place  could  hold  over  fifty  thousand,  but  it 
would  not  be  full,  although  the  seats  nearest  to  the  speaking-place 
would  be  packed. 

Paul  had  not  been  seen,  but  Gains  and  Aristarchus,  two  of  his 
friends  from  Macedonia,  were  captured  by  the  running  crowd,  and 
dragged  with  them  till  it  was  seen  what  was  to  be  done.  But 
Demetrius  could  not  be  heard,  for  everybody  wished  to  speak, 
and  nobody  would  listen.  Some  were  in  deep  earnest,  others 
shouted  out  of  mischief,  to  increase  the  noise  and  fun;  and 
so  the  time  passed  in  continual  confusion,  in  which  loud  voices 
could  be  heard  shouting,  some  one  thing,  some  another — for  the 
most  of  the  people  had  no  idea  what  all  the  turmoil  was  about, 
and  they  would  not  be  quiet  to  hear.  This  lasted  so  long  that 
word  was  sent  to  the  city  authorities  and  to  Paul,  and  they 
hastened  to  the  place.  He  had  been  told  of  Gains  and  Aris- 
tarchus, and  wished  to  go  into  the  theatre  and  speak  to  the 
people ;  but  his  own  friends,  among  them  some  of  the  city  rulers, 


"GREAT    IS    DIANA  !'*  365 

would  not  allow  him.  They  could  do  better  if  he  kept  out  of 
sight. 

At  length  Demetrius  and  his  friends,  some  of  whom  were 
Jews,  put  forward  a  Jew  called  Alexander  to  speak,  most  likely 
because  he  could  speak  well,  and  had  a  loud  voice.  What  he 
was  to  say  we  do  not  know ;  for  as  soon  as  he  held  up  his  hand 
for  silence,  and  the  people  saw  by  his  features  that  he  was  a  Jew, 
they  shouted  against  him,  so  that  his  voice  could  not  be  heard — 
"  Great  is  Diana  of  the  Ephesians !  Great  is  Diana  of  the 
Ephesians  !  "  The  noise  grew  and  increased  to  drown  the  voice  of 
the  Jew,  hundreds  of  voices  being  added  whenever  Alexander  or 
any  one  else  tried  to  speak,  until  nothing  could  be  heard  but  a  hoarse 
roar  like  the  sea  of  "  Great  is  Diana  of  the  Ephesians  ! "  for  they 
were  determined  that  nothing  else  should  be  heard.  The  people 
did  not  care  why  they  had  been  brought  together ;  they  would 
shout  as  loud  and  as  long  as  they  chose.  It  was  an  idle  shout, 
for  only  those  from  the  market  knew  what  had  begun  it.  And 
whenever  it  was  like  to  die  down  it  broke  out  afresh,  until  after 
about  two  hours  of  such  amusement  the  people  grew  tired,  and 
were  ready  for  something  else. 

The  city  rulers  were  in  the  theatre,  ready  to  speak  when  the 
people  would  listen,  and  among  them  was  the  town  clerk  and 
keeper  of  the  city  records,  a  man  accustomed  to  read  notices  at 
great  meetings,  well  known  to  them  all,  and  not  a  little  feared  by 
some.  When  he  came  forward  to  the  speaker's  place,  the  people 
knew  that  they  had  come  to  business,  and  were  quiet.  While 
they  were  shouting,  he  had  been  inquiring,  and  knew  why  they 
were  there.  He  also  knew  how  to  send  them  home,  for  he  had 
done  it  before. 

"Men  of  Ephesus,"  he  called  in  a  loud  voice,  "is  there  a  man 
here  who  does  not  know  that  this  city  is  the  keeper  of  the  great 
temple  of  Diana,  and  of  the  image  that  fell  down  from  the  stars  ] " 

His  bold  and  flattering  question  pleased  the  people,  and  they 
would  listen  now. 

"Seeing  that  this  cannot  be  denied,  you  ought  to  be  calm, 
and  do  nothing  rashly.  You  have  brought  hither  these  men," 
pointing  to  Paul's  two  friends,  "who  are  neither  robbers  of 
temples,  nor  speakers  against  Diana.  If  Demetrius  or  any  of 
those  who  are  with  him  have  a  case  against  any  man,  the  city 
courts  are  open,  and  the  weekly  court  days  kept,  and  there  are 
judges  to  settle  who  is  in  the  right.  Let  them  accuse  these 
men  before  them  in  the  proper  manner." 

Thus,  in  cold,  lawyer-like  fashion,  he  told  the  people  that  this 
was  not  the  place  to  bring  accusations  or  try  law  cases.     But  if 


366  "GEE AT   IS   DIANA!" 

there  was  something  deeper  yet  underlying  the  disorder,  he  told 
them  what  to  do. 

"If  you  seek  anything  about  other  matters,"  he  continued, 
"  it  will  be  settled  in  the  regular  assembly  of  the  people." 

He  had  told  them  what  was  the  proper  and  lawful  course  to 
take,  and  now  he  brought  the  weight  of  his  authority  down  on 
the  unruly  gathering,  backed  by  the  well-known  practice  of  the 
Koman  rulers  of  the  province,  whose  duty  it  was  to  punish  swiftly 
and  severely  all  rioting  and  disorder, — 

"  For,  indeed,  we  are  in  danger  of  being  accused  before  the 
Roman  governor  about  this  day's  rioting,  there  being  no  good 
ground  for  it,  because  we  cannot  give  any  reason  for  this  great 
gathering." 

After  these  warning  words,  and  in  a  voice  of  authority  which 
none  cared  to  disobey,  he  bade  the  people  disperse  and  go  home. 

Soon  they  were  all  on  their  feet,  moving  out  by  the  hundreds 
of  passages,  and  down  the  broad  stairs ;  and  in  a  few  minutes  the 
vast  place  was  empty,  and  the  streets  instead  filled  with  talking, 
arguing,  laughing  crowds,  hastening  home  to  get  food,  for  some  of 
them  had  been  rushing  about  all  day  shouting  themselves  hoarse. 
And  so  ended  in  failure  the  attempt  of  Demetrius  and  his 
friends  to  stop  the  teaching  of  Paul  and  the  Christians ;  for  they 
did  not  take  the  advice  of  the  town  clerk  and  bring  a  case  into 
the  law  court,  nor  did  they  ask  for  an  inquiry  before  the  people 
in  a  regular  meeting.  And  the  result  of  that  day's  great  stir  was 
to  raise  the  Christians  higher  in  the  public  esteem. 

There  would  be  much  talking  in  the  markets,  bazaars,  and 
shops  about  Demetrius  and  the  great  gathering ;  and  when  it  was 
seen  that  he  was  afraid  to  do  anything  more,  the  people  began  to 
forget,  but  Paul  did  not.  His  friends  among  the  city  rulers  would 
advise  him  what  to  do,  and  he  may  even  have  had  a  message  from 
tlie  town  clerk  that  he  should  not  remain  in  the  city.  He  had 
written  to  Corinth  that  he  would  stay  in  Ephesus  till  spring,  but  he 
resolved  to  leave  before  then,  and  go  first  to  Macedonia,  and  then 
to  Corinth.  Winter  was  approaching,  and  although  the  sun  was 
hot,  rough  winds  were  driving  the  withered  leaves  into  the  air  in 
the  vineyards,  and  sailors  were  thinking  of  harbouring  their  boats 
for  the  winter. 

There  was  now  a  strong  congregation  of  Christians  in  the  city, 
with  elders  and  office-bearers,  who  could  work  by  themselves ;  and 
he  called  a  farewell  meeting  and  told  them  that  he  must  go  on  to 
Macedonia,  urging  them  to  stand  fast  in  the  faith  in  Jesus,  as  he 
taught  them.  And  we  may  be  sure  that  those  who  heard  him 
did  not  forget  what  he  said,  for  it  was  the  last  address  he  would 


AMONG    ISLANDS    AND    CAPES.  367 

give  in  that  city.  On  such  occasions  he  spoke  for  hours,  but  we 
are  not  told  what  he  said.  This  is  part  of  the  letter  which  he 
afterwards  wrote  them  : — 

"  When  I  first  heard  of  your  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  the 
love  which  you  show  to  all  Christians,  I  ceased  not  to  mention 
you  in  my  prayers,  and  to  give  thanks  for  you ;  that  the  God  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  the  Christ,  the  Father  of  glory,  may  give  you  a 
spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation  in  the  knowledge  of  Him.  May 
you  have  your  hearts  enlightened,  that  you  may  know  what  is 
your  hope  in  Him,  what  the  riches  of  the  glory  of  His  gift,  and 
what  the  greatness  of  His  power  toward  us  who  believe,  according 
to  what  He  wrought  in  Jesus,  For  God  raised  Him  from  the 
dead,  and  made  Him  to  sit  on  His  right  hand  in  heaven,  far 
above  everything  in  this  world  or  in  the  world  to  come. 

"  I  beseech  you  to  live  worthy  of  Christians,  having  lowliness, 
meekness,  long-suffering,  and  forbearance  in  love  one  toward 
another,  being  careful  to  be  of  one  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace. 
There  is  only  one  Spirit,  one  hope,  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one 
baptism,  and  one  God  and  Father  of  all,  who  is  over  all,  through 
all,  and  in  us  all.  To  each  of  us  there  is  grace  given  according 
to  the  gift  of  Jesus.  It  is  written  in  the  Psalms,  When  He  went 
up  on  high,  He  led  captive  captivity,  and  gave  gifts  to  men. 
Some  men  God  has  made  apostles,  inspired  speakers,  evangelists, 
ministers,  teachers,  for  the  work  of  ministering  and  building  up 
in  Jesus,  until  w^e  shall  reach  one  faith  and  knowledge  of  the  Son 
of  God,  as  of  a  full-grown  man,  in  the  height  and  fullness  of 
Jesus.  Then  shall  we  no  longer  be  children,  tossed  to  and  fro 
like  boats,  or  carried  about  like  chaff  with  every  wind,  by  the 
cleverness  and  craft  of  men  full  of  cunning  and  errors ;  but  speak- 
ing the  truth  in  love,  we  shall  grow  up  in  all  good  things  unto 
Jesus,  who  is  our  loving  Head. 

"May  peace  be  with  you,  and  love  with  faith,  from  God  the 
Father,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  the  Christ ;  and  may  grace  be  with 
all  that  love  our  Lord  in  purity." 


Among  Islands  and  Capes. 

EPHESUS  :    AGED  50-60. 

MEETINGS  of  Christians  in  these  days  were  not  hushed  and 
quiet  as  they  are  now,  and  when  Paul  ended  his  farewell 
address  to  the  Christians  of  Ephesus  there  would  be  loud  weeping 


368  AMONG    ISLANDS    AND    CAPES. 

and  wailing  of  women  and  groans  and  cries  of  men.  And  when 
the  day  came  for  him  to  go  into  the  ship  that  was  to  carry  him  to 
Troy,  the  Christians  would  come  in  hundreds  to  the  quay,  to 
wring  their  hands  and  kneel  in  prayer,  and  shout  and  cry  as 
the  ship  was  dragged  with  ropes  out  of  the  harbour,  and  along  the 
canal  towards  the  river  and  the  open  sea. 

There  the  white  sail  was  once  more  spread,  and  the  green 
hills  and  white  houses  blended  together,  as  the  ship  sped  out  into 
the  blue  bay  towards  the  narrow  passage  between  the  island  of 
Chios  and  the  land.  The  sea  had  no  terrors  for  Paul :  the  lonely, 
wind- tossed  waters  would  rest  his  mind ;  but  the  long  dark  nights 
were  cold. 

He  had  been  for  about  three  years  in  and  about  Ephesus,  and 
his  success  had  been  as  great  as  at  Corinth ;  yet  he  was  not  satis- 
fied, for  he  was  being  driven  away,  leaving  many  enemies  behind. 
He  was  sailing  northwards  up  the  coast  of  Asia,  and  while  it 
would  take  about  a  week,  they  would  never  be  far  away  from 
islands,  or  out  of  sight  of  the  mainland ;  and  each  night  they  would 
anchor  in  a  sheltered  place,  until  the  yellow  dawn  broke  over  the 
dark  mountains,  and  the  large  sail  was  shaken  out  again. 

Sailing  across  the  wide  and  stormy  Gulf  of  Smyrna,  through 
the  narrow  channel  between  Mitylene  and  the  mainland,  and  out 
towards  the  open  sea,  the  voyage  was  not  unlike  sailing  along 
the  broken  west  coast  of  Scotland,  with  beautiful  islands,  narrow 
channels,  rapids,  capes,  cloud-shrouded  mountains,  and  rocky  val- 
leys. Round  the  headland  and  they  saw  Troy,  which  he  had  not 
visited  since  he  sailed  from  the  harbour  with  Luke  five  years 
before.  Who  were  with  him  now  we  do  not  know,  for  he  left  his 
warm  friends  Aquila  and  Priscilla  behind,  dearer  to  him  than 
ever,  for  they  had  saved  his  life.  Perhaps  it  brought  trouble 
upon  them,  for  they  had  to  leave  Ephesus,  and  we  next  hear 
of  them  back  again  in  Rome.  There  is  little  wonder  that  Paul 
loved  this  humble  weaver  and  his  wife,  when  we  remember  all 
that  they  did  for  him  and  for  Christianity. 

If  the  ship  reached  Troy  harbour  at  the  close  of  the  day,  they 
would  see  the  sun  sinking  behind  the  deep  purple  island  of  Lemnos, 
far  out  at  sea,  casting  a  ruddy  hue  on  the  white  houses  and  temples 
of  the  town,  and  flushing  the  woods  and  rocks  of  Mount  Ida. 
The  great  sail  was  looped  up  to  the  yard  as  they  passed  between 
the  granite  towers  of  the  breakwater  and  into  the  large  harbour, 
safe  from  winds  and  waves. 

Paul  and  his  friends  were  going  to  Macedonia,  and  had  to 
leave  the  boat,  which  was  not  going  any  farther;  and  so  they 
landed  on  the  stone  quay,  paid  the  hire,  and  went  up  to  the  city. 


"TIMOTHY,    MY    TRUE    CHILD."  369 

On  his  former  visit  he  did  not  preach,  but  now  he  found  friends, 
and  taught  daily,  while  waiting  the  arrival  of  a  boat  going  to 
Neapolis ;  and  as  the  stormy  season  had  now  come,  and  boats 
were  scarce,  he  may  have  had  to  wait  for  weeks.  We  are  not 
told  what  he  said  to  the  people,  but  in  his  letters  we  find  what 
he  was  saying  to  other  congregations  at  this  time  :— 

"  Thanks  be  to  God,  who  leads  us  in  triumph  in  Jesus,  and 
makes  Him  known  through  us  in  every  place.  To  them  that  are 
being  saved,  and  in  them  that  are  not,  we  are  as  a  sweet  smell 
of  Jesus  unto  God  :  from  death  to  death  in  the  one,  from  life  to 
life  in  the  other.  We  have  a  right  to  teach  these  things,  for  we 
do  not  sell  the  word  of  God,  as  some  do ;  but  of  God,  and  in  the 
sight  of  God,  we  speak  sincerely  in  Jesus. 

"  Do  we  seem  to  be  praising  ourselves  ?  Do  we  need  a  letter 
of  praise  to  you,  or  from  you,  as  some  carry  ?  You  yourselves  are 
our  letter  of  praise,  written  in  our  hearts,  known  and  read  of  all 
men ;  written  not  with  ink,  but  with  the  Spirit  of  the  living  God. 
We  are  confident  through  Jesus  toward  God,  who  made  us  minis- 
ters of  a  new  gospel ;  not  of  the  letter,  but  of  the  spirit :  for  the 
letter  kills,  but  the  spirit  gives  life.  If  the  ministration  under 
the  Jewish  law,  which  was  to  pass  away,  was  with  glory,  how 
much  more  glorious  shall  the  ministration  of  the  spirit  be,  which 
is  to  remain." 


*' Timothy,   My  True  Child." 

TROY :    AGED  50-60. 

PAUL  expected  to  meet  Titus  at  Troy,  with  news  from  Corinth  ; 
but  he  was  not  there,  and  it  was  a  keen  disappointment.  If 
Titus  was  the  bearer  of  Paul's  long  letter,  we  can  understand  how 
anxious  he  would  be  to  hear  how  it  was  received,  and  whether 
they  were  going  to  obey  him.  Titus  was  indeed  on  his  way  back, 
but  they  would  not  meet  until  he  reached  Thessalonica.  Paul  did 
not  go  on  his  voyage  at  once,  for  he  found  the  people  of  Troy  so 
willing  to  listen  to  the  new  gospel  that  it  was  like  a  new  door 
opened  to  him.  What  he  said  to  the  Christians  day  by  day  may 
be  gathered  from  his  letter  about  this  time.  They  would  meet  in 
a  large  room  of  a  house. 

"Be  not  puffed  up  one  against  another.  Who  makes  you 
better  than  another  1  and  what  have  you  that  you  did  not  receive  1 
And  if  you  did  receive  it,  why  do  you  boast,  as  if  you  did  not  ? 
You  think  that  you  are  filled,  and  rich,  and  can  reign  without  us. 

(1,040)  24 


370  "TIMOTHY,    MY   TRUE    CHILD." 

I  wish  you  did  reign,  that  we  might  reign  with  you.  I  think  God 
sent  out  apostles  last  of  all,  like  men  doomed  to  die :  for  we  are 
made  a  show  to  the  world,  the  sky,  and  the  earth.  We  are  as 
fools  in  Christ,  but  you  think  yourselves  wise  in  Him;  we  are 
weak,  but  you  think  yourselves  strong;  you  have  honour,  but 
we  have  dishonour.  Even  to  this  present  time  we  hunger  and 
thirst,  and  are  naked  and  buffeted,  and  have  no  sure  place  to  live 
in.  We  toil,  working  with  our  hands.  When  called  names,  we 
bless;  when  persecuted,  we  bear  it;  when  slandered,  we  speak 
gently.  Indeed,  we  are  as  the  mud  and  rubbish  of  the  world. 
Still,  I  do  not  say  this  to  vex,  but  to  admonish  you,  my  beloved 
children." 

The  first  letter  to  his  young  friend  Timothy  was  probably  writ- 
ten about  this  time,  full  of  advice  and  instruction  as  to  the  work 
of  teaching,  and  arranging  congregations,  to  which  I  have  already 
referred.  You  will  read  it  in  full  in  your  Bible,  for  it  is  the  best 
letter  to  a  young  man  that  you  can  find  anywhere.  Paul  felt  his 
years  growing  uj)on  him,  and  was  beginning  to  look  to  others  to 
carry  on  his  great  work.  Calling  Timothy  his  true  child,  he  re- 
minds him  of  what  he  said  when  he  asked  him  to  wait  behind  in 
Ephesus  when  he  was  leaving  for  Macedonia.  Certain  men  were 
teaching  a  wrong  gospel,  and  he  was  to  correct  and  instruct  them 
not  to  trouble  themselves  about  fabulous  stories  and  endless  gene- 
alogies, which  only  bred  quarrels ;  and  he  specially  named  Hymen- 
seus  and  Alexander — perhaps  the  Alexander  who  tried  to  speak  in 
the  theatre. 

He  hoped  to  see  him  soon,  but  sent  the  letter  lest  he  should 
be  delayed.  Slaves  were  to  honour  their  masters,  and  if  they 
were  also  Christians,  were  not  to  despise  them.  Nowadays  we 
should  expect  Paul  to  order  the  masters  to  free  their  slaves; 
but  things  were  different  then,  and  the  light  of  the  teaching  of 
Jesus  was  spreading  slowly.  Paul  bade  him  no  longer  drink 
water  only,  but  a  little  wine,  for  the  sake  of  his  health,  which 
was  not  strong,  and  closed  his  wise  letter  with  these  beautiful 
words,  which  any  father  might  write  to  his  son  : — 

"O  my  child,  guard  what  has  been  given  to  you.  Turn 
away  from  irreligious  talk  and  false  knowledge,  which  some  have 
taken  up,  and  so  missed  the  mark  of  faith  in  Jesus.  And  may 
the  grace  of  God  be  with  you." 

The  day  came  when  he  had  to  take  leave  of  his  friends  at 
Troy,  and  it  would  be  with  words  of  cheering  and  hope ;  for  when 
he  paid  them  a  passing  visit  a  year  later,  he  found  a  considerable 
congregation  of  Christians.  Before  going  down  to  the  harbour 
with  him,  they  would  meet  in  a  friend's  house  to  say  farewell,  and 


A   WINTER    VOYAGE.  371 

we  can  picture  him  standing  in  his  brown  cloak  and  traveller's 
kerchief,  speaking  to  them  in  words  like  these  : — 

"I  am  an  apostle  of  Jesus  the  Christ,  by  faith  in  God  and 
the  knowledge  of  truth ;  in  hope  of  life  for  evermore,  which  God 
has  promised,  and  has  made  known  in  the  message  which  by 
commandment  He  has  entrusted  to  me.  Overseers  in  the  con- 
gregation must  be  blameless;  not  self-willed  or  soon  angry,  not 
quarrelsome  or  greedy;  but  hospitable,  sober-minded,  just,  and 
temperate ;  holding  to  sound  and  faithful  teaching,  that  they  may 
be  able  to  teach  others.  For  there  are  many  unruly,  vain,  and 
deceitful  talkers,  especially  they  who  teach  circumcision,  whose 
mouths  must  be  stopped.  To  the  pure  all  things  are  pure  :  but  to 
the  unbelieving  there  is  nothing  pure,  for  their  minds  and  con- 
sciences are  defiled.  They  say  they  know  God,  but  their  lives 
deny  it ;  for  they  are  wicked  and  disobedient,  and  strangers  to  all 
that  is  good.  I  would  have  you  learn  to  work  at  honest  work  for 
your  necessary  wants,  and  be  not  unfruitful  of  good.  All  that  are 
here  with  me  greet  you.  Gi^eet  them  that  love  us  in  the  faith  of 
Jesus;  and, may  grace  be  with  you  all." 


A  Winter  Voyage. 

TROY:    AGED  50-60. 

SO  few  ships  were  on  the  sea  during  the  stormy  months  that 
it  may  have  been  early  spring  before  Paul  found  a  large  boat 
that  would  take  him  on  the  voyage  of  over  a  hundred  miles, 
across  what  was  in  winter  a  very  exposed  sea.  He  tells  us  in 
his  letters  that  he  was  shipwrecked  several  times,  and  that  on 
one  occasion  he  floated  on  wreckage  for  a  night  and  a  day  before 
being  saved ;  and  as  the  voyage  from  Troy  was  dangerous  at  this 
season,  he  may  have  been  shipwrecked. 

When  he  reached  again  the  port  of  Neapolis,  behind  the  island 
of  Thasos,  they  were  at  the  end  of  their  dangers,  and  in  the 
province  of  Macedonia.  He  did  not  stop  to  teach  here,  but  rode 
with  his  companions  up  the  twelve  miles  of  paved  Roman  road 
towards  the  town  of  Philippi,  where  he  hoped  Titus  would  be 
waiting  from  Corinth.  Soaked  with  rains  that  drifted  over  the 
hills,  their  cloaks  would  be  small  protection,  while  the  streams 
they  had  to  cross  were  deep  enough  to  drown  them ;  so  that 
they  would  be  glad  when  they  rode  through  the  low,  dark  arch- 
way in  the  city  walls,  and  up  the  broad  street,  to  seek  friends 


372  A   WINTER    VOYAGE. 

who  would  take  them  in  and  give  them  shelter  and  food.  It  is 
likely  they  would  be  welcomed  to  the  house  of  Lydia,  the  seller 
of  purple  cloth,  with  wh-om  he  lived  five  years  before  ;  and  again 
he  would  address  the  Christians,  but  not  at  the  Jews'  meeting- 
place  in  the  glen  by  the  side  of  the  river.  There  were  more  to  hear 
him  now,  and  he  had  a  different  story  to  tell,  of  visits  to  Thessa- 
lonica,  Athens,  Corinth,  Antioch,  Ephesus,  Galatia,  Jerusalem,  and 
why  he  did  not  come  to  them  from  Athens  as  he  intended.  We 
have  no  record  of  the  addresses  which  he  gave  to  his  friends  in 
the  city  where  he  was  scourged  and  imprisoned,  but  this  is  part 
of  his  letter  to  them  : — 

"I  thank  God,  and  remember  you  in  my  prayers  with  joy, 
for  helping  forward  the  gospel  from  the  very  first  day  until  now. 
I  am  sure  of  this,  that  God,  who  began  this  good  work  in  you,  will 
finish  it.  It  is  right  for  me  to  think  so,  for  both  in  my  imprison- 
ment, and  in  defending  and  confirming  the  gospel,  you  shared  my 
labours  with  me.  God  knows  how  I  have  longed  after  you  in  the 
mercy  of  Jesus  the  Christ,  and  prayed  that  your  love  may  increase 
more  and  more  in  knowledge  and  insight,  so  that  you  may  know 
what  is  right,  being  sincere  and  inoffensive,  and  filled  with  the 
fruits  of  righteousness,  to  the  glory  and  praise  of  Jesus  the  Christ. 

"Let  your  life  be  worthy  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  :  so  that  whether 
I  come  to  see  you,  or  am  absent  from  you,  I  may  hear  of  your 
state.  Stand  fast  in  one  spirit,  with  one  mind  striving  for  the 
faith  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus ;  in  nothing  afraid  of  your  adver- 
saries :  which  is  a  sign  of  their  condemnation,  and  of  your  salva- 
tion from  God,  in  whom  you  believe,  and  for  whom,  like  me,  you 
suffer." 

He  had  come  to  strengthen  and  encourage  them  after  their 
fight  with  persecution  from  their  own  relations  and  the  magistrates 
of  the  town,  and  to  praise  them  for  their  faith  and  bravery.  Liv- 
ing in  that  city  of  sunshine,  guarded  by  its  strong  castle,  and  with 
a  beautiful  plain  of  streams  and  trees  spreading  out  towards  the 
purple  mountains,  to  his  great  relief  and  joy  he  was  joined  by 
Titus,  who  may  have  sailed  down  the  coast  of  Greece  to  land  at 
Neapolis.     But  his  news  from  Corinth  was  not  cheering. 

The  Christians  had  received  him  with  the  greatest  kindness. 
They  had  the  tenderest  recollections  of  Paul's  visit,  and  were  long- 
ing for  another.  His  long  letter  was  read  in  the  congregation, 
and  his  advice  about  their  manner  of  worship  was  being  car- 
ried out.  The  evil  man  of  whom  he  wrote  had  been  put  out 
of  their  midst.  But  when  he  inquired  about  their  divisions  and 
the  false  Christians  from  Jerusalem,  the  news  was  not  so  good. 
The  false  Jews  had  been  so  successful  that  many  of  the  teachers 


A   WINTER    VOYAGE.  373 

in  Corinth  had  gone  over  to  their  side,  and  Titus  told  him  with 
much  sorrow  that  they  were  repeating  there  the  same  wicked  things 
about  Paul  which  they  told  the  Christians  in  Galatia.  They 
ridiculed  his  appearance  and  speaking  :  they  said  he  was  very 
brave  in  letters,  but  a  coward  when  present ;  that  he  worked 
for  his  living,  because  he  was  not  a  real  apostle,  and  had  no  right 
to  be  kept  by  others ;  that  he  was  a  Greek  Jew,  and  not  a 
Jew  of  Jerusalem  like  them,  and  had  no  authority  to  teach.  They 
also  proclaimed  how  he  persecuted  the  followers  of  Jesus  before  he 
became  one  himself,  and  said  they  were  from  the  apostles  of  Jeru- 
salem, who  lived  and  talked  with  Jesus.  They  also  objected  to 
Paul's  great  plan  of  collecting  money  everywhere  for  the  poor 
Christians  of  Jerusalem.  It  was  like  taking  money  which  ought 
to  go  to  the  temple. 

This  news  set  Paul's  mind  on  fire.  It  was  what  he  had 
dreaded.  These  false  hypocrites,  driven  away  from  Galatia,  had 
followed  his  path  from  city  to  city,  and  settled  in  Corinth  to 
blast  his  character  if  they  could,  and  turn  his  friends  away  from 
the  true  faith  in  Jesus  to  false  Jewish  beliefs.  He  could  not  bear 
it  in  silence ;  and  although  he  was  journeying  thither,  he  resolved 
to  send  them  a  letter,  as  he  had  done  the  Galatians,  to  warn  them 
of  his  coming.  He  did  not,  however,  write  at  once.  Timothy 
was  on  his  way  from  Corinth  also,  and  he  would  wait  till  he 
heard  his  report.  He  was  going  on  towards  Thessalonica,  and 
once  more  he  bade  farewell  to  the  Christians  of  Philippi,  who 
were  always  so  kind  to  him.  We  can  picture  the  last  meeting 
which  they  held  with  this  grey-headed,  determined  man,  who 
had  suffered  so  much,  but  had  no  thought  for  himself.  What  he 
said  we  do  not  know,  but  again  I  turn  to  one  of  his  letters,  in 
which  he  speaks  in  the  figurative  way  which  rabbis  loved  : — 

"  I  speak  to  you  who  are  not  Jews,  for  I  am  the  apostle  of 
foreigners,  and  glory  in  my  work  :  if  by  any  means  I  may  make 
my  countrymen  jealous,  and  save  some.  If  the  casting  away  of 
the  Jews  were  the  drawing  near  of  the  world,  what  would  their 
coming  in  be,  but  as  life  from  the  dead  1  If  the  first  fruits 
are  holy,  so  is  the  harvest ;  and  if  the  root  is  holy,  so  are  the 
branches.  But  some  were  broken  off;  and  you,  as  a  wild  olive, 
were  grafted  in  among  the  branches,  and  became  a  sharer  with 
them  in  the  root  and  fatness  of  the  olive  tree.  But  do  not  boast 
over  the  other  branches ;  for  it  is  the  root  that  bears  you,  and  not 
you  the  root.  If  the  first  branches  were  broken  off,  that  you 
might  be  grafted  in;  for  unbelief  were  they  broken  off,  and  by 
faith  you  stand.  But  be  not  high-minded  :  for  if  God  did  not 
spare  the  natural  branches,  neither  would  He  spare  you. 


374  ON  THE  BLACK  PAVED  ROAD. 

*'  Consider  then  the  goodness  and  the  severity  of  God  :  severity 
toward  them,  and  goodness  toward  you,  if  you  continue  in  Him  : 
otherwise  you  too  will  be  cut  off.  And  they  too,  if  they  give  up 
their  unbelief,  will  be  grafted  in  :  for  God  is  able  to  graft  them 
in  again.  If  you  were  cut  out  of  a  wild  olive  tree,  and  grafted 
into  a  good  olive  tree,  how  much  more  shall  the  natural  branches 
be  grafted  again  into  their  own  tree  ? " 


On  the  Black  Paved   Road. 

PHILIPPI  :    AGED  50-60. 

AGAIN  the  Christians  of  Philippi  escorted  the  travelling  Jew 
-^^  in  his  brown  cloak  out  through  the  west  gate  of  their  great 
city,  riding  on  to  conquer  the  world.  Again  he  saw  streams 
winding  in  silver  braids  through  the  emerald  plain  of  Philippi, 
woods  clothed  with  every  shade  of  leaf,  and  white  clouds 
coursing  over  the  distant  hills  to  kiss  shoulders  of  snow  ;  again 
he  heard  the  blackbird's  song,  for  it  was  the  time  of  spring,  when 
boats  fleck  the  sea  with  white  sails,  and  travellers  again  ride 
through  the  glens. 

It  is  not  safe  even  now  for  travellers  to  ride  through  Mace- 
donia, and  in  those  days  it  was  very  dangerous ;  and  Paul  and  his 
companions  would  have  to  seek  the  company  of  others,  or  even 
pay  some  wild  tribesmen  to  escort  them  safely  through  the  hills 
that  lay  between  them  and  Thessalonica  on  the  far  sea-coast. 
Eive  years  ago  he  had  gone  along  that  paved  Roman  road, 
leaving  his  companions,  Timothy  and  Luke,  behind  him ;  but  the 
hills  which  now  basked  in  the  sunshine,  with  white  waterfalls 
twinkling  through  the  trees,  were  glistening  then  in  their  snowy 
mantles.  Passing  the  lakes,  and  crossing  again  the  broad  river, 
they  reached  the  walled  town  of  Amphipolis,  in  the  mouth  of  the 
deep  glen  at  the  bend  of  the  river.  Paul,  on  this  journey,  spoke 
much  to  the  people,  who  had  heard  of  Christianity,  for  he  would 
not  pass  that  way  again. 

From  thence  they  followed  the  Roman  road  until  they  saw  the 
sea  glancing  and  tossing  in  the  sunlight,  and  distant  islands  of 
blue  and  pearl-grey,  that  changed  at  sunset  to  opal  and  crimson, 
purple  and  indigo,  when  clouds  covered  the  sky  with  a  foam  of 
roses.  At  Apollonia  the  travellers  would  rest  again — so  near 
to  Thessalonica  that  they  would  hear  of  his  work  and  flight 
from  that  city.     And  we  can  picture  them  gazing  on  the  travel- 


ON  THE  BLACK  PAVED  ROAD.  375 

ling  Jew  in  the  brown  cloak — who  was  not  afraid  to  return — 
as  he  exhorted  them  to  stand  fast  in  the  faith  of  Jesus.  And 
here  we  have  gleams  and  lights  of  the  sayings  of  Jesus,  sur- 
rounded with  Paul's  reflections, — 

**  I  say,  by  the  power  that  has  been  given  me,  to  every  man 
among  you,  do  not  think  more  highly  of  yourselves  than  you 
ought ;  but  think  soberly,  according  to  the  measure  of  faith  in 
Jesus  which  God  has  given  to  each.  For  we  are  all  members  of 
one  great  congregation,  joined  to  Jesus  and  to  each  other.  Having 
received  different  powers  through  the  grace  of  God,  and  faith  in 
Jesus,  speak,  minister,  teach,  advise,  give  liberally,  and  rule  with 
care,  showing  mercy  with  cheerfulness.  Let  your  love  be  with- 
out pretence.  Hate  what  is  bad,  and  hold  to  what  is  good.  Be 
tender  and  affectionate  one  to  another,  preferring  that  others 
should  get  honour ;  not  lazy,  but  diligent ;  earnest  in  spirit ;  serv- 
ing God.  Rejoice  in  hope  ;  be  patient  in  your  trials ;  continue 
strong  in  prayer;  give  to  the  wants  of  others,  and  be  kind  to 
strangers." 

Apollonia  was  up  among  wild  mountains,  and  as  they  fol- 
lowed the  paved  road  winding  down  through  the  narrow  glen,  it 
brought  them  again  to  the  blue  sea,  with  islands  and  white  sails, 
in  the  Gulf  of  Thessalonica,  with  range  upon  range  of  the  blue 
mountains  of  Greece  in  the  distance,  under  pearly  clouds.  The 
Greeks  believed  that  imaginary  beings  sipped  nectar  and  supped 
ambrosia  lying  among  these  fleecy  clouds  on  those  mountain-tops ; 
but  Paul's  thoughts  as  he  rode  down  from  the  hills  were  of  the 
city  whose  white  buildings  he  saw  upon  the  sunny  shores  below. 
Soon  they  were  riding  through  the  low  arch  in  the  eastern  wall, 
and  along  the  broad  street,  amid  the  finest  houses  of  the  town, 
that  looked  out  upon  Octavius's  arch  of  white  marble,  carved 
with  bulls'  heads  and  garlands. 

He  easily  found  his  friends,  for  there  was  a  large  congregation 
of  Christians,  to  whom  he  had  written  two  letters  from  Corinth. 
They  rejoiced  to  see  his  face  again,  for  they  were  longing  for  him ; 
and  no  doubt  Jason  would  again  take  him  and  his  companions 
into  his  house.  He  was  chief  of  the  men  who  suffered  much 
for  their  religion,  after  they  sent  Paul  away  in  safety,  five  years 
before  ;  but  there  were  men  there  also  who  thought  that  the  Christ 
would  appear  so  soon  that  they  need  not  work  any  more,  and 
were  so  anxious  about  the  resurrection  and  life  hereafter  that  Paul 
sent  Timothy  back  to  them  from  Athens  to  tell  them  that  he 
would  make  all  plain  when  he  came.  And  he  had  much  to  tell 
them  now,  as  they  sat  in  their  cloaks  of  brown  and  blue,  close 
packed,  in  the  largest  room  of  Jason's  house,  with  dark-eyed  women 


376  ON  THE  BLACK  PAVED  ROAD. 

among  them  who  had  held  to  their  faith  since  the  day  when  they 
heard  him  speak  the  words  of  fire  that  changed  their  lives. 
Again  I  turn  to  his  letter  to  them  for  what  he  would  say  when 
they  were  face  to  face  : — 

"  I  thank  God  always  for  this,  that  when  you  received  from 
us  the  word  of  the  message  from  God,  you  took  it  not  as  the 
language  of  men,  but  as  it  is  in  truth,  the  word  of  God  working 
in  you  that  believe.  You  became  imitators  of  the  Christians 
of  Judea,  and  endured  the  same  things  of  your  countrymen  as 
they  did  of  theirs.  For  they  killed  the  Lord  Jesus  and  the  holy 
men,  and  drove  us  out ;  and,  contrary  to  God  and  man,  forbade  us 
to  speak  to  any  who  were  not  Jews,  that  they  might  be  saved, 
filling  up  the  measure  of  their  wickedness  :  but  wrath  has  come 
upon  them  to  the  last.  Brothers,  when  I  was  away  from  you  in 
body  for  a  short  period,  though  not  in  thought,  I  endeavoured 
with  great  desire  to  see  your  face  again  ;  and  would  indeed  have 
come  to  you,  I  Paul,  again  and  again  :  but  evil  hindered  me.  For 
are  you  not  my  hope  and  joy,  my  crown  and  glory,  before  the  Lord 
Jesus  ? 

"  Therefore,  when  I  could  no  longer  delay  speaking,  I  thought 
it  good  to  be  left  behind  alone  in  Athens ;  and  sent  Timothy  to 
strengthen  and  comfort  you  in  your  faith  :  that  you  should  not 
be  moved  by  your  punishments  ;  for  you  knew  that  they  would 
come.  When  I  was  with  you  before,  I  told  you  that  you  would 
be  afflicted,  as  it  has  come  to  pass ;  and  as  I  could  wait  no 
longer,  I  sent  to  know  of  your  faith,  lest  you  had  been  tempted 
away,  and  our  work  spoiled.  But  when  Timothy  returned  from 
you,  bringing  me  glad  tidings  of  your  faith  and  love,  and  that 
you  had  good  recollections  of  me  always,  and  were  longing  to  see 
me,  as  I  was  to  see  you,  I  was  comforted  in  my  distress  by  your 
faith.  I  live  again,  if  you  stand  fast  in  the  Lord.  What  thanks 
to  God  are  enough  for  all  the  joy  which  I  have?  For  night 
and  day  I  prayed  greatly  that  I  might  see  your  faces  again,  and 
make  perfect  what  is  wanting  in  your  faith.  May  God  make  you 
increase  and  grow  in  love  one  toward  another,  and  to  all  men,  as 
we  do  to  you  :  so  that  He  may  establish  your  hearts  pure  and 
holy  before  Him  who  is  our  God  and  Father." 


THE   BLUE    MOUNTAINS    OF    GREECE.  377 

The   Blue  Mountains  of  Greece. 

THESSALONICA  :    AGED   50-60. 

PAUL  was  now  living  in  the  sunny  city  built  on  the  slope 
of  the  hill  at  the  end  of  the  deep  Thermaic  Gulf,  with  the 
blue  mountains  of  Greece  and  Macedonia  inviting  him  away 
into  countries  and  kingdoms  beyond  the  charming  city  in  which 
Cicero  chose  to  live  during  his  banishment  from  Rome  a  hundred 
years  before.  But  Paul  did  not  spend  his  whole  time  among 
the  marble  arches  of  the  streets,  or  the  trees  and  statues  of  the 
markets.  Nor  did  he  go  to  the  synagogue  of  his  countrymen. 
They  had  already  rejected  him.  He  went  along  the  Roman 
Egnatian  Way,  out  into  the  fair  country  of  vines  and  olives 
round  about,  speaking  to  the  Christians  everywhere,  in  town  or 
village,  camp  or  cottage,  encouraging  them  to  hold  fast  to  the 
glorious  faith  in  Jesus.  This  is  from  one  of  his  letters  to  the 
people  there  : — 

"  Now  I  command  you,  brothers,  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  that 
you  avoid  Christians  who  live  disorderly,  and  not  according  to  the 
teaching  which  you  have  received  from  me.  You  yourselves  know 
how  you  ought  to  live  :  for  we  did  not  behave  disorderly  among 
you.  I  did  not  eat  bread  for  nothing  at  any  man's  hand ;  but  in 
toil  and  labour  I  worked  by  night  and  by  day,  that  I  might  not  be 
a  burden  to  any  of  you  :  not  because  I  had  not  the  right,  but 
that  we  should  show  a  good  example  for  you  to  follow.  When 
I  was  last  with  you  I  gave  you  this  commandment.  Whoever 
will  not  work  should  not  eat.  I  hear  of  some  that  live  dis- 
orderly among  you  ;  that  they  do  not  work  at  all,  but  go  from 
house  to  house  interfering  with  other  people's  affairs.  Now,  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord,  I  command  these  men  to  return  quietly  to 
their  work  and  earn  their  own  bread.  My  brothers,  be  not 
weary  in  well-doing;  and  if  any  man  does  not  obey  my  words, 
note  him,  and  avoid  him,  that  he  may  be  ashamed  of  his  con- 
duct :  but  warn  him  as  a  brother,  not  as  an  enemy.  And  may 
the  God  of  peace  Himself  give  you  peace  at  all  times,  and  in  all 
ways  ;  and  may  the  Lord  be  with  you." 

He  expected  to  meet  Timothy  with  further  news  from 
Corinth,  and  his  heart  was  anxious  till  he  came,  probably  sailing 
down  the  coast  of  Greece  and  across  the  gulf  to  Thessalonica. 
But  it  was  only  to  have  the  bad  tidings  of  Titus  confirmed.  The 
Christians  were  still  in  a  state  of  doubt  and  division,  notwith- 
standing his   long  letter.      They  were   slipping   back  into  the 


378  THE    BLUE    MOUNTAINS    OF    GREECE. 

horrid  customs  of  idol-worship,  out  of  which  they  had  risen  for 
a  time.  He  resolved  to  write  them  at  once.  Timothy  would 
again  be  his  clerk,  and  tell  him  of  the  state  of  the  people  as 
he  wrote.     The  letter  must  go  in  haste,  for  his  feelings  were  hot. 

He  united  Timothy  with  him  in  it,  the  elder  speaking  while 
the  younger  held  the  pen  ;  and  it  was  directed  to  all  the  Christians 
in  Corinth,  and  in  the  province  of  Greek  Achaia,  of  which  it  was 
the  capital.  He  would  have  a  copy  of  his  first  letter  beside  him 
to  refer  to,  while  Timothy  sat  in  the  shady,  flower-hung  veranda 
of  the  inner  court  of  the  house,  with  a  large  piece  of  papyrus 
paper  on  his  knee,  on  which  to  write  very  slowly  the  rapid  words 
of  his  master.  Again  you  will  get  only  the  narrative  part  of 
the  letter  here,  and  must  read  it  all  in  your  Bible. 

He  told  them  that  when  he  was  in  Ephesus  he  was  sad 
beyond  endurance,  despairing  of  his  life,  and  would  have  come  to 
them  direct,  but  he  did  not  wish  to  visit  them  again  in  sorrow, 
although  he  wrote  this  letter  in  great  grief.  He  told  them  to 
punish  a  certain  wicked  man,  and  he  had  been  punished.  They 
were  now  to  forgive  him.  In  Troy  he  had  sorrow,  for  Titus 
was  not  there.  He  went  on  to  Macedonia,  and  there  the  suc- 
cess of  his  teaching  was  as  sweet  incense  rising  round  him. 
In  reply  to  the  false  Christians,  who  went  to  them  with  letters 
of  introduction  and  praise  from  Jerusalem,  he  said  that  they 
themselves  were  his  letters  of  praise,  which  all  the  world  might 
read.  He  told  them  of  the  afflictions  which  he  suffered  for  the 
sake  of  Jesus,  sometimes  longing  for  death. 

The  false  Christians  said  he  was  mad.  As  a  minister  of 
Jesus,  he  had  been  whipped,  imprisoned,  and  suffered  many  other 
hardships.  Timothy  would  hear  his  voice  rising  in  earnestness, 
as  if,  instead  of  blue  sea  and  sunny  mountains,  he  saw  before 
him  a  crowd  of  dark-faced  men  of  Corinth,  as  he  exclaimed, 
"My  mouth  is  open  to  you,  O  Corinthians,  my  heart  is  en- 
larged towards  you.  My  children,  be  enlarged  towards  me.  Be 
not  joined  with  idolaters,  for  it  is  light  joined  to  darkness."  He 
had  grieved  for  them,  and  it  was  not  until  he  met  Titus  in 
Philippi  that  he  began  to  feel  relief.  His  last  letter  made 
them  sorry ;  but  he  did  not  regret  it,  for  it  did  them  good,  and 
they  rejected  the  man  who  had  attacked  him. 

He  told  them  that  when  he  sent  off  Titus  he  praised  them 
to  him,  and  now  Titus  himself  praised  them  for  their  kindness 
during  his  stay  with  them.  And  Titus  would  be  sitting  there 
listening  to  all  that  Pa.ul  said,  and  ready  to  correct  him  if  he  was 
wrong  on  any  point. 


SOME    FOOLISH   BOASTING.  879 

Some   Foolish   Boasting. 

THESSALONICA  :    AGED   50-60. 

HE  spoke  of  money  at  some  length  in  this  letter,  and  it  is  very 
touching  to  see  how  this  worn  and  buffeted  traveller,  who 
toiled  all  night  at  his  needle  and  his  loom,  rather  than  take  any- 
thing for  himself,  planned,  schemed,  and  begged  money  from  these 
strangers  for  the  poor  Christians  of  distant  Jerusalem.  It  is  not 
easy  to  account  for  it,  but  if  he  and  they  wished  to  establish  a 
system  like  the  temple  tax  of  sending  money  from  all  parts  to 
Jerusalem  as  the  centre,  it  did  not  last  very  long.  The  Christians 
of  Macedonia  gave  liberally,  and  he  urged  the  men  of  Corinth  to 
complete  their  collection  before  he  came,  bringing  some  Macedo- 
nians with  him.  Titus  would  carry  this  letter,  and  would  bring 
a  man  who  was  greatly  praised  in  Macedonia,  and  who  was  to 
take  money  to  Jerusalem  along  with  himself. 

The  letter  reads  as  if  he  intended  to  stop  at  this  point,  but 
he  goes  on  to  answer  the  Pharisee  Jews  in  language  at  times 
sarcastic,  boastful,  foolish,  and  in  a  way  which  he  says  is  not 
always  under  God's  guidance,  but  is  a  temporary  indulgence  of 
human  weakness ;  and  some  of  it  that  may  have  interested, 
informed,  and  amused  the  men  of  Corinth  at  the  time,  is  not  of  so 
much  interest  now. 

Would  they  bear  with  a  little  foolish  boasting?  These  men 
said  that  he  was  no  apostle  because  he  did  not  live  at  other 
people's  expense,  but  he  was  not  a  bit  behind  the  highest.  He 
had  taken  money  from  other  congregations  rather  than  be  a  burden 
to  Corinth,  and  no  man  in  Achaia  would  stop  his  glorying  in 
independence.  Indulging  his  humour  further,  he  said  that  if  any 
one  thought  him  foolish,  then  foolish  let  him  be,  that  he  might 
boast  for  a  little.  We  can  imagine  a  pause  in  the  dictation  of 
the  writing  while  they  counted  up  the  perils  and  punishments 
Paul  had  endured  since  that  day  on  the  Damascus  road  when 
he  was  wrapped  in  flame  brighter  than  the  sun.  When  these 
were  written  down,  he  turned  to  dreams  and  visions. 

Boasting,  although  he  knew  it  was  not  very  wise,  he  told  of  a 
vision  fourteen  years  ago,  about  the  time  that  Barnabas  found 
him  at  Tarsus,  and  he  spoke  as  if  it  had  happened  to  some  one 
else.  The  man  felt  as  if  taken  up  into  the  third  heaven  (the 
rabbis  taught  that  there  were  seven  heavens  of  different  degrees 
above  the  clouds),  where  he  heard  strange  things.  Then  Paul 
told   them  a  secret.      Connected  with   his  visions,  and   lest  he 


380         BEGGING  FOR  THE  POOR  JEWS. 

should  be  too  much  exalted,  he  had  a  bodily  weakness  that 
tortured  him  like  an  evil  thing  sent  to  humble  him.  Three  times 
he  prayed  that  it  might  go  away,  but  the  answer  was  that  God's 
favour  was  enough  for  him,  and  God's  spiritual  power  was  made 
perfect  in  his  weakness  of  body.  There  has  been  much  curiosity 
about  this  "  thorn  in  the  flesh,"  as  Paul  figuratively  called  it,  but 
it  really  matters  very  little.  To  him  it  was  a  drawback  con- 
nected with  these  visions ;  for  when  they  were  highest,  his  body 
was  weakest,  and  suffered  most.  People  who  suffer  from  fits 
are  like  this.  Their  body  is  racked  with  pains,  their  mind  filled 
with  visions ;  and  Paul  may  have  had  such  trances  and  such 
visions,  when  things  dawned  upon  his  mind  that  he  would  not 
otherwise  have  known. 

He  goes  on  to  say  that  he  would  soon  make  his  third  visit  to 
them,  and  these  men  would  say  he  was  cunning  in  that  he  sent 
others  beforehand  to  collect  their  money.  But  he  wrote  them, 
while  yet  on  the  way,  that  those  who  were  carrying  on  their 
wicked  practices  connected  with  idol-worship  should  repent  before 
he  came,  for  he  would  inquire  into  everything  before  witnesses, 
and  would  not  spare  the  guilty. 

He  was  now  at  the  end  of  the  letter,  but  he  does  not  seem 
to  have  taken  the  pen  into  his  own  hand  this  time,  for  he  bade 
Timothy  write  this  closing  message  : — 

"  Finally,  brothers,  farewell.  Be  perfected,  be  comforted,  be 
aH  of  one  mind,  live  in  peace,  and  the  God  of  love  and  peace  will 
be  with  you." 

It  is  a  long  letter,  and  you  have  had  parts  of  it  already,  and 
will  hear  more  as  we  go  on.  Like  the  others,  it  would  be  copied 
out,  railed  up  in  a  cover,  and  given  to  Titus,  who  was  to  carry 
it,  and  who  would  guard  it  as  a  precious  thing. 


Begging  for  the   Poor  Jews. 

THESSALONICA  :    AGED  50-60. 

HAVING  sent  Titus  away  on  his  voyage  back  to  Corinth  with 
the  letter,  Paul  and  Timothy  remained  in  Thessalonica. 
They  did  not  keep  to  the  city,  but  spent  the  summer  and  autumn 
in  travelling  up  and  down  the  roads  and  paths  of  the  province 
of  Macedonia,  which  was  about  the  size  of  Scotland.  In  these 
journeys  through  the  hot  valleys  and  over  the  breezy  hills  he 
went  as  far  inland  as  the  district  of  Illyricum,  north  of  Mace- 


BEGGING    FOR    THE    POOR    JEWS.  381 

donia,  spreading  the  gospel  of  Jesus  and  the  worship  of  the  living 
God.  Wherever  he  found  Christians  he  urged  them  to  give 
something  to  the  great  collection  for  the  poor  of  Jerusalem. 
Here  again  he  delivered  many  addresses,  of  which  we  have  no  record 
other  than  the  thoughts  in  his  letters  at  the  time.  And  men 
who  used  to  go  upon  their  knees  and  offer  prayers  and  gifts  to 
idols  of  wood  and  stone  would  resolve  to  live  the  higher  life,  as 
they  listened  to  words  like  these  : — 

"  About  times  and  seasons,  brothers,  I  have  no  need  to  tell 
you.  You  know  that  the  day  of  the  Lord  comes  as  a  thief  in 
the  night.  When  they  are  saying.  Peace  and  safety,  then  will 
sudden  destruction  come  upon  them,  and  they  shall  not  escape. 
But  you,  my  brothers,  are  not  in  darkness,  that  it  should  overtake 
you  as  a  thief  :  for  you  are  all  sons  of  light  and  of  the  day,  and 
not  of  darkness  and  night.  Slumber  not  as  unbelievers,  but  watch 
and  be  sober.  For  they  sleep  and  are  drunken  in  the  night ;  but 
you,  who  are  of  the  day,  must  be  sober,  putting  on  the  breastplate 
of  faith  and  love ;  and  for  an  helmet,  the  hope  of  salvation. 
God  has  appointed  you  not  for  punishment,  but  to  get  salvation 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  the  Christ,  who  died  for  us  all,  that, 
whether  we  watch  or  sleep,  we  should  be  together  with  Him. 
Therefore  continue  to  comfort  each  other,  and  build  up  one  another, 
as  you  do." 

But  he  was  soon  to  bid  a  last  farewell  to  Thessalonica.  Having 
strengthened  the  Christians  by  his  stirring  presence,  he  must  ride 
round  the  blue  gulf  to  Berea.  Again  there  would  be  a  farewell 
meeting  with  this  messenger  from  far  Judea,  who  came  as  an 
angel  among  them.  They  loved  him,  and  would  be  sorry  to 
lose  his  presence  from  among  them.  He  was  going  to  Corinth. 
Would  they  ever  see  him  again  in  his  brown  cloak  riding  through 
the  broad  streets  of  their  white  city  1  With  what  tenderness  would 
he  address  them  on  the  day  of  their  last  meeting  in  Jason's  house. 
This  is  from  his  letter  to  them  : — 

*'I  give  thanks  to  God  always  for  you,  brothers,  as  is  right; 
for  your  faith  grows  greatly,  and  you  have  love  one  toward  another, 
so  that  I  praise  you  in  other  congregations  for  your  patience 
and  faith  in  the  persecutions  and  afflictions  which  you  have 
endured.  And  that  is  a  sign  of  the  righteous  judgment  of  God, 
that  you  may  be  counted  worthy  of  His  kingdom,  for  which  you 
suffer.  And  so  I  always  pray  for  you,  that  God  may  count  you 
worthy,  and  grant  you  every  desire  of  goodness  and  every  work 
of  faith :  that  the  name  of  Jesus  may  be  glorified  in  you,  and  you 
made  glorious  in  Him,  according  to  the  grace  of  our  God  and  our 
Lord  Jesus  the  Christ. 


382  BEGGING    FOR    THE    POOR   JEWS. 

"  Now  T  would  speak  to  you  about  the  presence  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  the  Christ,  and  our  gathering  together  to  Him,  so  that  you 
may  not  be  easily  shaken  from  your  present  mind,  nor  troubled 
by  speech,  or  letters  said  to  be  from  me,  saying  that  the  day  of 
Jesus  has  come.  Let  no  man  deceive  you  in  any  way  :  for  there 
must  be  a  falling  away  first ;  and  he  who  exalts  himself  against 
what  is  called  God,  and  is  worshipped  sitting  in  a  temple,  and 
setting  himself  up  as  God,  that  man  of  sin  and  son  of  evil,  must 
first  be  exposed.  You  remember  that,  when  I  was  with  you,  I 
told  you  of  these  things.  And  now  you  know  that  Jesus  will 
be  revealed  in  His  own  time.  I  give  thanks  to  God  always  for 
you,  my  brothers  beloved  of  God,  for  He  chose  you  as  the  first 
of  the  fruits  to  be  saved  and  made  pure  by  His  Spirit  through 
belief  in  the  truth,  to  which  I  called  you  by  the  gospel,  that  you 
might  win  the  glory  of  Jesus.  Stand  fast  therefore,  brothers,  and 
hold  to  what  you  have  been  taught,  whether  by  my  words  or  my 
letters.  And  may  our  God  and  Father,  who  loves  us,  and  gives 
us  comfort  and  good  hope,  comfort  your  hearts,  and  strengthen 
you  in  every  good  word  and  deed." 

In  this  he  speaks  again  about  the  coming  of  Jesus ;  but  it  is 
plain  by  his  reference  to  the  Roman  emperor,  whose  image  was 
worshipped  in  every  temple,  that  he  did  not  now  expect  Jesus  as  he 
did  when  he  first  stirred  up  the  men  of  Thessalonica,  who  looked 
for  Him  daily,  for  that  was  five  years  ago. 

With  tears  and  cries,  men,  women,  and  children  would  ac- 
company Paul  and  his  companions  out  of  the  city,  and  along  the 
paved  road,  in  the  golden  heat  of  autumn.  The  plains  were  burnt 
up  and  yellow;  the  leaves  on  the  dense  woods  rustled,  blood- 
crimson  and  russet,  and  grey  and  scarlet,  with  a  noise  like  waves 
on  the  shore.  In  three  days  they  would  reach  the  town  of  Berea, 
which,  even  in  hot  autumn,  was  refreshed  with  trickling  streams 
in  its  streets.  And  here  were  more  Christians  rejoicing  to  see 
him,  and  longing  to  hear  his  voice,  which  to  them  was  as  a  voice 
from  heaven.  In  that  hill  town  the  houses  were  small,  so  that 
if  he  spoke  under  a  roof,  the  little  room  would  be  packed  to  the 
door ;  but  more  likely  they  would  sit  in  the  open  air  in  the  shade 
of  trees.  In  his  letters  about  this  time  he  speaks  on  behalf  of 
the  poor  Christians  of  Jerusalem,  for  whom  he  was  collecting 
everywhere, — 

"  He  that  sows  sparingly  will  reap  sparingly ;  and  he  that  sows 
liberally  will  reap  liberally.  Let  every  man  give  as  his  heart  tells 
him  ;  not  grudgingly,  nor  because  he  is  compelled  :  for  God  loves  a 
cheerful  giver.  God  gives  you  His  grace  freely,  that  you  may  be 
rich  in  every  good  work,  and  that  it  may  be  said  of  you,  He  has 


Minerva's  bright  helmet.  383 

scattered  abroad ;  he  has  given  to  the  poor  :  his  goodness  lives  for 
ever.  God,  who  gives  seed  to  the  sower,  and  bread  for  food,  will 
increase  your  seed  for  sowing,  and  the  fruits  of  your  goodness,  and 
enrich  you  in  everything,  that  you  may  be  generous  and  have 
cause  to  give  thanks  to  Him.  The  collection  of  money  for  the 
poor  Christians  of  Jerusalem  supplies  all  their  wants,  and  brings 
many  thanksgivings  to  God ;  seeing  that  through  this  proof  of 
your  Christianity  they  glorify  God  for  your  obedience  to  the 
gospel  of  Jesus,  and  for  the  liberality  of  your  gifts  to  them  and 
to  all  Christians.  And  they  themselves,  with  prayers  for  you, 
long  after  you  in  love,  because  of  the  exceeding  grace  of  God  that 
is  in  you.     Thanks  be  to  God  for  His  unspeakable  gift  of  Jesus." 


Minerva's   Bright  Helmet. 

DIUM:    AGED   50-60. 

HE  had  now  made  the  journey  through  all  parts  of  Macedonia 
which  he  planned  when  he  left  Ephesus,  and  the  next  thing 
was  to  find  a  ship  and  embark  for  Corinth.  He  was  about  to 
leave  the  Christians  of  Berea,  and  break  one  more  life's  thread,  for 
he  would  never  be  back  again.  It  was  his  custom,  when  saying 
farewell  to  the  Christians  of  a  town,  to  do  it  in  words  of  lofty 
guidance  and  strong  encouragement.  We  can  picture  him  speaking 
thus  to  the  men  and  women  of  that  town  who  had  been  brought 
from  the  darkness  of  idolatry  into  the  light  of  God  at  the  call  of 
his  voice  : — 

"  I  beseech  you,  brothers,  to  know  and  esteem  the  men  who  work 
among  you,  and  are  over  you,  and  advise  you ;  and  to  think  much 
of  them  for  the  work  they  do  for  Jesus'  sake.  Be  at  peace  among 
yourselves.  Warn  the  disorderly,  encourage  the  faint-hearted,  sup- 
port the  weak,  and  be  forbearing  to  all.  See  that  no  one  returns 
harm  for  harm ;  but  ever  do  what  is  good,  one  toward  another, 
and  toward  all.  Rejoice  always,  pray  always,  and  be  thankful  : 
for  that  is  the  will  of  God  to  you  through  Jesus.  Do  not  suppress 
His  Spirit  in  others,  or  despise  them  that  speak  ;  but  test  every- 
thing, and  hold  fast  what  is  good,  avoiding  every  appearance  of 
evil.  And  may  the  God  of  peace  Himself  make  you  wholly  pure ; 
and  may  you  be  preserved  without  blame  at  the  coming  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  the  Christ.  He  is  faithful  whose  voice  calls  you,  and 
will  do  it.  Brothers,  pray  for  us ;  and  may  the  grace  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  the  Christ  be  with  you." 


384  Minerva's  bright  helmet. 

Riding  through  the  low  archway  in  the  town  wall,  Paul  and 
his  friends  were  upon  the  road,  through  rocky  valleys,  down  to 
the  plain  by  the  sea.  Five  years  ago  the  men  of  Berea  had 
seen  him  safely  to  the  sea-coast,  and  some  had  sailed  with  him  to 
Athens.  Again  they  would  go  to  Dium,  at  the  river's  mouth,  and 
wait  until  he  sailed  away  from  their  shores.  The  glorious  gospel 
of  serving  the  living  God,  rather  than  idols  of  wood  and  stone, 
of  faith  in  the  way  of  Jesus,  had  spread  so  far  and  taken  such 
root  since  his  last  visit,  that  there  would  be  Christians  at  this 
seaport  also  to  welcome  him,  and  listen  as  he  exhorted  them  to 
stand  fast  in  the  new  faith,  and  strive  to  live  the  higher  life  of 
purity  and  temperance  to  which  they  were  called  by  the  voice 
of  Jesus.  It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  the  thoughts  in  his  letters 
appear  there  for  the  first  and  only  time,  but  rather  that  we  have 
there  garnered  together  what  he  was  repeating  to  the  peo^jle 
wherever  he  went,  and  that  what  is  best  in  these  letters  was 
repeated  often. 

"By  the  power  of  God  which  was  given  to  me,  as  a  wise 
master-builder,  I  have  laid  the  foundation,  and  others  have  built 
upon  it.  But  let  each  one  be  careful  how  he  builds.  For  no  man 
can  lay  any  other  foundation  for  his  life  than  Jesus  the  Christ. 
If  any  man  shall  build  upon  that  foundation  gold,  silver,  precious 
stones,  wood,  hay,  or  stubble,  his  building  will  be  tested  by  fire, 
that  will  prove  the  work  of  what  kind  it  is.  If  the  work  stands, 
which  he  has  built  upon  the  foundation  of  Jesus,  he  shall  be 
rewarded  ;  but  if  it  is  burnt  up,  he  will  suffer  loss,  and  be  saved 
himself,  but  only  as  through  fire." 

There  were  no  white  waterfalls  on  Mount  Olympus,  no  slabs 
of  rock  glittering  with  rain,  no  clouds  trailing  their  misty  mantles 
over  the  mountain's  shoulder,  as  Paul,  in  his  brown  cloak,  stepped 
into  the  small  coasting-boat  at  Dium ;  for  it  was  hot  autumn,  and 
the  woods  were  tinted  with  russet  and  gold,  and  palpitating  blue 
hung  over  the  great  hill. 

Across  the  gulf  were  the  white  walls  of  Thessalonica,  which 
they  had  left  a  few  weeks  ago.  They  were  not  going  back,  but 
seaward  towards  Corinth,  with  the  huge  peaked  sail  stretched 
across  the  mast,  and  a  favouring  wind  for  which  they  had  waited. 
In  golden  autumn  weather  they  would  sleep  on  deck  with  their 
cloaks  wrapped  about  them,  and  the  great  stars  throbbing  like 
lamps  of  silver.  Beyond  the  long  island  of  Negropont,  they 
would  again  sail  through  the  lovely  scenes  past  which  Paul  glided 
years  ago,  in  like  autumn  weather;  through  the  quiet  inland 
sea,  and  out  among  islands  of  every  shape  and  colour,  with  the 
blue  waves  flashing  round  them.     For  the  third  time  he  would 


minekva's  bright  helmet.  385 

see  Diana's  white  temple  on  Cape  Sunium,  whence  the  citadel  of 
Corinth  could  be  seen  sixty  miles  off,  were  it  not  for  the  high 
island  of  -^gina,  which  caused  them  to  steer  closer  in  to  Athens. 
Again  the  steersman's  shout  told  them  he  had  caught  the  sun- 
flash  of  Minerva's  helmet  above  the  white  temples  of  Athens. 
And  Paul  would  think  in  silence  of  the  morning  six  years  ago, 
when  he  spoke  with  enthusiasm  of  religion  to  a  circle  of  cold 
philosophers,  who  received  his  message  with  smiles  and  polite 
words.  He  may  even  have  told  his  companions  what  happened 
on  that  day,  and  of  his  determination  henceforth  to  speak  of 
Jesus  only. 

The  white  queen  of  cities  faded  among  the  stained  cliffs  and 
yellow  woods  as  they  swept  past  Salamis  and  the  islands,  and 
entered  the  port  of  Cenchrea,  to  land  on  the  stone  wharf  at  the 
statue  of  Neptune,  placed  there  to  give  courage  to  sailors,  who 
believed  in  a  bronze  image.  Again  he  saw  the  slaves  of  black 
and  brown  and  their  taskmasters  heaving  cargo  out  of  the  ships, 
and  the  droves  of  sleepy  asses,  camels,  and  horses  being  laden  with 
sacks  and  bundles,  to  walk  in  long  lines  up  the  six  miles  of  paved 
road  to  the  proud  city  between  the  two  seas.  And  when  the 
evening  clouds  gathered  in  crimson  over  the  purple  mountains 
to  the  west,  they  saw  the  castle  of  Corinth  towering  above  the 
yellow  plain,  where  the  great  city  spread  out  its  streets,  and  wliite 
temples  stood — not  ragged  and  reeling  pillars  as  they  are  to-day, 
but  covered  with  a  broad  roof,  under  which  priests  walked  with 
naked  feet  and  smoking  incense. 

Riding  through  the  low  archway  of  the  eastern  gate,  he  was 
again  in  the  gay,  drunken  city.  He  went  to  stay  with  Gains,  a 
well-to-do  man,  who  had  a  large  house ;  and  the  news  of  his  arrival 
soon  spread  among  the  Christians.  There  would  be  a  hurried 
saddling  of  asses,  and  a  sudden  departure  of  certain  Jerusalem 
Jews,  who  had  been  boasting  that  this  traveller  in  his  brown  cloak 
was  no  apostle,  and  a  coward  besides ;  for  we  do  not  read  that 
they  met  him  there.  It  suited  them  better  to  tell  their  lies  in 
his  absence,  when  they  could  live  undisturbed  upon  the  bread 
and  honey,  and  milk  and  wine,  of  those  they  deceived. 

The  men  who  paid  no  heed  to  his  letters,  and  caused  divisions 
in  the  congregations,  trembled  when  they  heard  his  voice.  We 
know  what  he  would  say,  for  we  have  it  in  his  letters.  Those 
who  wished  to  blend  the  good  of  Christianity  with  the  pleasures 
of  idolatry  had  to  be  dealt  with.  What  the  women  of  the  con- 
gregation thought  of  this  combination  we  are  not  told,  but  their 
hearts  would  revolt  against  it,  for  it  was  not  what  the  Jew  in 
the  brown  cloak  had  taught. 


386  BOOTING   OUT   FALSEHOODS. 

Rooting  out  Falsehoods. 

CORINTH  :    AGED  50-60. 

THE  large  upper  room  of  Gaius's  house  was  filled  with  seated 
Christians,  men  and  women,  in  the  red  and  white  dresses 
of  Greeks.  Others  stood  against  the  walls ;  others  crowded  at  the 
door,  keeping  out  the  sunshine ;  and  others  sat  in  the  windows, 
keeping  out  the  light,  as  Paul  rose  and,  with  hand  uplifted,  gave 
the  sign  for  silence.  They  saw  that  his  hair  was  growing  white, 
but  his  grey  eyes  were  piercing  as  ever. 

"  I  thank  God  always  for  you,  because  of  the  grace  given  you 
in  Jesus ;  for  you  have  been  enriched  in  words  and  knowledge,  so 
that  His  gospel  has  been  confirmed  in  you.  I  beg  of  you,  in  His 
name,  all  to  speak  the  same  thing  and  be  of  the  same  mind,  that 
there  may  be  no  more  divisions.  For  I  have  heard  that  there  are 
quarrels  among  you.  One  says,  I  follow  Paul ;  another,  Apollos  ; 
another,  Peter;  another,  Jesus.  Can  Jesus  be  divided?  was  I 
crucified  for  you  1  or  were  you  baptized  in  my  name  1  I  thank 
God  that  I  only  baptized  Crispus  and  Gains ;  lest  it  should  be 
said  that  I  baptized  in  my  own  name.  I  baptized  also  those  in 
Stephen's  house  :  but  I  do  not  think  that  I  baptized  any  other. 
Jesus  sent  me  not  to  baptize,  but  to  preach  the  gospel :  and  that 
not  with  words  of  worldly  wisdom,  lest  His  death  should  be 
thought  of  no  avail. 

"  When  first  I  came,  I  could  not  speak  to  you  as  to  spiritual,  but 
as  to  worldly  men.  Like  babes  in  Jesus,  I  fed  you  with  milk, 
not  with  meat :  for  you  were  not  able  to  bear  my  strong  words, 
nor  are  you  now.  You  are  still  worldly :  having  jealousy  and 
strife  among  you,  living  after  the  ways  of  worldly  men.  One 
says,  I  follow  Paul ;  another,  I  follow  Apollos ;  and  so  you  dis- 
piTt3.  Who  are  Apollos  and  Paul,  but  only  ministers,  each  as  the 
Lord  gave  them  power,  and  through  whom  you  believed  the  gospel  1 
I  planted,  Apollos  watered ;  but  God  gave  the  growth.  So  that 
neither  he  who  planted,  nor  he  who  watered,  is  anything;  but 
God  is  all.  We  are  both  God's  gardeners,  and  you  are  His 
garden,  and  we  shall  be  rewarded  according  to  our  work. 

"  O  Corinthians,  my  mouth  is  open,  my  heart  is  large  toward 
you.  As  children  to  a  father,  may  your  hearts  be  turned  toward 
me.  Be  not  mixed  up  with  idolaters.  What  companionship  has 
light  with  darkness?  or  Jesus  with  an  idol?  or  a  Christian  with 
an  unbeliever?  What  has  a  temple  of  God  to  do  with  an  idol? 
You  are  living  temples  of  the  living  God.      For  it  is  written 


ROOTING   OUT    FALSEHOODS.  387 

in  the  Bible,  God  will  dwell  in  them,  and  live  in  them,  and  be 
their  God,  and  they  shall  be  His  people.  Therefore  come  out  from 
among  them,  and  be  separate,  and  touch  no  unclean  thing;  and 
God  will  receive  you,  and  be  to  you  a  Father,  and  you  will  be 
His  sons  and  daughters.  Having  these  promises,  let  us  purify 
ourselves  from  all  defilement,  and  perfect  our  holiness  in  the  fear 
of  God. 

"  Open  your  heart  to  me  ;  for  I  have  wronged,  or  corrupted, 
or  taken  advantage  of  no  man.  And  you  are  in  my  heart  to  live 
and  die  together  with  me.  I  speak  boldly  to  you,  and  glory  in 
you  :  for  I  am  filled  with  comfort,  and  overflow  w^ith  joy  in  all 
my  trials.  When  I  came  into  Macedonia  I  had  no  relief,  being 
afflicted  on  every  side  ;  without  were  fightings,  within  w^ere  fears. 
Nevertheless  God,  who  comforts  the  lowly,  comforted  me  by  the 
coming  of  Titus ;  who  told  me  of  your  longings,  mournings,  zeal 
for  me.  Though  I  made  you  sorry  by  my  letter,  I  do  not  regret 
it ;  for  you  were  only  made  sorry  for  a  time,  and  your  sorrow  led 
to  your  repentance  after  a  godly  way.  For  godly  sorrow  brings 
about  repentance  unto  a  salvation  which  has  no  regret :  but 
worldly  sorrow  brings  death.  What  earnest  care  this  sorrow 
caused  in  you,  what  indignation  and  clearing,  what  fear  and 
longing,  what  zeal  and  avenging  !  In  everything  proving  your- 
selves to  be  pure  in  this  matter.  Although  I  wrote  so,  it  was 
not  for  him  who  did  the  wrong,  nor  for  him  who  suffered,  but 
that  your  care  for  us  might  be  seen  in  the  sight  of  God.  And 
so  I  am  comforted,  rejoicing  the  more  because  of  the  joy  of  Titus, 
whose  spirit  was  refreshed  by  you  all." 

Thus  Paul  rooted  out  the  false  teaching  that  had  been  sown  by 
his  enemies,  and  found  his  friends  ready  to  turn  again  to  him  and 
say  that  his  was  the  only  right  way.  He  was  no  longer  a  poor  man. 
It  is  thought  that  his  father's  death  brought  him  money,  and  we 
know  he  had  warm  friends  in  Philippi  and  Antioch,  who  were 
determined  he  should  not  suffer  from  poverty  on  his  journeys. 
We  no  more  read  of  him  toiling  night  and  day  at  loom,  knife,  and 
needle  to  keep  himself ;  and  he  would  not  allow  the  Christians  to 
pay  either  for  his  food  and  lodging  or  for  his  teaching.  Before, 
he  lived  at  Corinth  with  the  weaver  Aquila,  but  now  the  city 
treasurer  would  have  willingly  received  the  man  who  first  brought 
Christianity  to  the  city.  He  had  ordered  his  letters  to  be  read 
to  all  the  Christians  in  Achaia,  and  we  may  be  sure  he  visited 
Lech^eum,  Cenchrea,  and  the  other  congregations  round  about,  to 
encourage  them  to  keep  to  the  true  way.  And  this  is  part  of 
what  he  had  to  tell  them  : — 

"  Now  I  entreat  you  bv  the  meekness  and  gentleness  of  Jesus, 


388  ON    A    PEAK    OF    SUNSHINE. 

I  Paul,  who  am  said  to  be  humble  when  present,  but  brave  when 
away  :  I  beg  of  you,  that  I  may  not  have  cause  to  show  courage 
here  against  some,  who  treat  me  as  though  I  lived  a  worldly 
life.  Though  I  live  in  the  world,  I  do  not  fight  according  to  the 
way  of  the  world:  for  our  weapons  are  not  worldly,  but  mighty 
before  God  to  the  casting  down  of  forts.  We  overthrow  all  im- 
aginations and  high  thoughts  exalted  against  the  knowledge  of 
God,  and  bring  every  thought  into  obedience  to  Jesus,  and  are 
ready  to  punish  the  disobedient. 

"  Look  at  what  is  before  you.  If  any  one  trusts  that  he  is 
Christ's  servant,  let  him  again  consider  that  so  are  we.  Though  I 
might  boast  of  my  authority  from  God  to  build  you  up,  I  would 
not  seem  to  frighten  you.  My  enemies  tell  you  that  my  letters 
are  weighty  and  strong  ;  but  my  appearance  is  weak,  and  my  speak- 
ing of  no  account.  But  let  them  count  on  this,  that  what  I  am  in 
letters  when  absent,  I  will  be  in  deeds  when  present.  I  am  not 
anxious  to  compare  myself  with  these  men  who  praise  them- 
selves to  you.  Measuring  and  comparing  themselves  with  them- 
selves only,  they  have  no  sense.  I  will  not  boast,  except  of 
the  measure  which  God  gave  me,  that  I  might  reach  you.  I  was 
the  first  to  come  to  you  with  the  gospel  of  Jesus,  and  am  not 
boasting  of  other  men's  work ;  but  having  a  hope  that  as  your 
faith  grows,  we  shall  be  encouraged  by  you  to  preach  the  gospel 
in  places  beyond  you,  and  not  to  boast  merely  of  what  we  have 
already  done.  He  that  would  glory,  let  him  glory  in  the  Lord. 
For  not  the  man  who  praises  himself  is  truly  praised,  but  he 
whom  God  praises." 

If  the  gentle  Gallio  was  still  the  Homan  governor,  it  is  likely 
that  he  would  see  Paul,  for  he  would  wish  to  meet  again  the 
Jew  who  introduced  the  new  religion  that  had  taken  such  a  hold 
upon  the  city.  But  Paul  would  not  see  the  streets  crowded  with 
riotous  and  drunken  throngs,  drawn  from  all  countries  to  see  the 
great  Isthmian  games,  for  he  only  stayed  three  months  at  this 
time,  and  the  games  were  not  until  the  spring. 


On  a  Peak  of  Sunshine. 

CORINTH:    AGED  50-60. 

THE  cold  winds   of  winter  were  blowing  through  the  streets 
and    markets   of    Corinth,  for  the    hills    beyond  the    great 
plain  were  white  with  snow,  showing  a  line  of  peaks  that  flushed 


ON   A   PEAK    OF    SUNSHINE.  389 

with  rose  at  dawn,  and  burned  crimson  when  the  sun  set  over 
them.  On  that  narrow  neck  of  land  between  the  seas  the  winter 
was  mild  and  the  city  quiet,  for  there  were  no  ships  upon  the 
sea,  and  the  roads  were  deserted  by  the  strings  of  cargo-carrying 
animals,  and  the  markets  were  not  the  crowded  places  of  the 
spring  and  summer. 

Paul  and  his  friends,  among  whom  were  now  Titus  and  Timothy, 
were  wintering  in  Corinth;  but  where  would  he  go  nexf?  He 
had  long  wished  to  go  to  Rome,  and  what  he  learned  of  the 
Christians  there  from  Aquila  and  his  wife  greatly  increased  his 
desire,  for  a  congregation  had  already  been  formed  without  his 
help.  Dreaming  of  his  future  plans,  Rome  rose  again  in  a  fair 
vision  before  his  eyes.  Jesus  bade  His  followers  preach  the 
gospel  over  all  the  world,  and  the  saying  sank  deep  into  Paul's 
heart.  There  were  Christians  who  went  daily  to  the  temple,  and 
loved  to  hear  the  silver  trumpets  of  the  priests ;  but  there  was 
a  higher  trumpet  call  to  him,  to  carry  the  gospel  of  Jesus  to  the 
people  who  sat  in  darkness  at  the  feet  of  dead  idols.  To  him 
the  Roman  Empire  was  the  world.  He  had  travelled  through 
many  provinces,  and  crossed  many  seas,  and  visited  more  cities, 
towns,  and  villages  of  that  empire  than  he  could  count,  and  the 
followers  of  Jesus  were  already  of  many  nations  and  languages. 
With  the  light  of  the  gospel  spreading  out  from  Rome,  then  truly 
would  the  ends  of  the  earth  hear  the  Saviour's  name.  He  did  not 
know  of  the  teeming  millions  of  China  and  of  India  who  fol- 
lowed Confucius  and  Buddha  five  hundred  years  before  Jesus  was 
born. 

He  had  met  other  Christians  from  Rome,  who  told  him  of  the 
state  of  the  congregation  there,  some  of  whom  were  Jews ;  and  he 
knew  of  their  difficulties  and  errors,  their  strength  and  weakness. 
Living  in  comfort  in  Gaius's  house,  surrounded  by  friends,  he 
could  look  back  and  look  forward,  and  as  he  did  so  he  realized 
how  much  he  had  done.  For  indeed  he  was  standing  on  a  pinnacle 
of  sunshine,  and  his  feet  were  turning  towards  the  shadows,  and 
he  knew  it.  As  he  sat  in  the  winter  sunshine  on  the  flat  house 
roof,  he  could  see  the  blue  sea,  studded  with  islands.  Beyond 
these  hazy  islands  was  Athens,  beyond  these  white  hills  lay 
imperial  Rome ;  but  he  had  much  yet  to  do  before  he  would  stand 
among  her  temples  and  palaces. 

And  so  he  resolved  to  write  a  letter  to  the  Christians  there — 
the  first  that  he  wrote  to  people  who  had  never  heard  his  voice. 
In  other  letters  he  reminded  them  of  what  he  had  said,  but  now 
he  must  write  it  all  down.  What  would  he  say  ?  He  had  been 
twenty-four  years  a  Christian,  thinking  constantly  of  the  Christ, 


390  ON    A    PEAK    OF    SUNSHINE. 

and  teaching  Christianity  under  many  strange  conditions,  where 
God  was  unknown,  and  he  had  learned  much ;  so  that  he  was 
not  the  same  man  who  rode  down  the  road  to  Damascus  blas- 
pheming the  name  of  Jesus  and  hating  His  followers.  Nor  was 
he  the  same  as  when  he  first  stood  up  in  the  synagogue  to  publicly 
say  he  was  a  Christian.  His  mind  had  opened  towards  Jesus,  as 
a  flower  to  the  sun.  Things  which  troubled  him  at  first  troubled 
him  no  more,  and  what  used  to  raise  his  anger  did  not  disturb 
him  now.  The  older  he  grew  in  this  glorious  gospel,  the  wider 
and  higher  it  became,  throbbing  with  thoughts  and  emotions  that, 
like  the  heavens  over  him,  moved  round  one  golden  centre,  whose 
depths  and  glory  he  could  not  measure. 

In  this  letter  he  sets  forth,  primarily  for  Jews,  the  gospel  of 
Jesus  as  he  knew  and  taught  it.  And  yet  be  could  not  but  feel, 
as  he  wrote,  how  far  short  was  his  presentation  of  Jesus  and  His 
gospel  from  the  living  Jesus  and  His  sayings.  High  as  is  the 
record  left  us  of  Paul  and  his  writings,  they  are  but  reflections 
from  the  face  of  the  Holy  One,  and  echoes  of  the  voice  of  Him 
who  knew  no  evil,  neither  was  guile  found  in  His  mouth. 

The  composition  would  be  slow.  The  number  of  his  Bible  refer- 
ences are  signs  of  much  care  and  forethought,  although  quoting  the 
Bible  was  easy  to  him,  for  it  was  only  repeating  the  lessons  of  his 
youth,  and  each  fresh  subject  would  suggest  a  train  of  passages 
which,  he  had  been  taught  by  the  rabbis,  surrounded  that  idea. 
Hence  we  find  in  this  most  laboured  and  most  learned  of  his 
letters  not  only  blazings  forth  of  rich,  inspired  thoughts,  but  long 
arguments,  in  which  the  use  of  logic,  metaphysics,  and  theology 
suggests  his  old  skill  and  subtlety  as  a  rabbinic  controversialist. 

Tertius,  who  wrote  as  Paul  dictated,  was  proud  to  be  his  clerk, 
and  put  in  that  he  was  the  writer ;  and  he  seems  to  have  been 
a  Roman,  for  he  sent  a  greeting  from  himself.  It  was  a  letter  to 
all  the  Christians  at  Pome,  and  Paul  told  them  that  their  faith 
was  known  throughout  all  the  Poman  Empire,  and  it  was  his 
constant  desire  to  preach  the  gospel  in  Rome  also.  Some  of  the 
letter  has  already  been  referred  to,  and  more  will  be,  so  that  I 
shall  look  now  at  the  narrative.  The  whole  you  will  read  in  your 
Bible. 

He  told  them  of  the  power  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus,  giving  a 
passage  from  the  Old  Testament ;  and,  like  the  rabbis,  he  was  not 
particular  about  the  exact  words,  if  he  gave  the  sense,  quoting 
from  memory ;  for  if  he  had  his  rolls  of  books  beside  him,  they 
were  very  troublesome  to  refer  to.  From  the  beginning  of  the 
world  God  made  Himself  known  in  the  consciences  of  men ;  but 
instead  of  adoring  Him,  they  had  made  idols  of  birds,  beasts,  and 


JERUSALEM,   ROME,    AND    SPAIN.  391 

snakes.  There  were  Jews  among  these  Eoman  Christians  who  still 
clung  to  the  Jewish  religious  law,  and  he  told  them  that  the  mark 
of  circumcision  was  nothing,  but  the  inward  change  was  every- 
thing. The  old  way  of  trying  to  be  righteous,  by  keeping  the 
Jewish  law,  had  passed  away  ;  the  new  way  of  righteousness,  by 
faith  in  Jesus,  had  come.  When  they  became  good,  their  old  life 
of  badness  died,  and  a  new  life  of  goodness  rose  in  resurrection 
within  them,  just  as  Jesus  died  and  rose  again. 

He  told  them  that  the  Jewish  religious  law  was  dead,  but  faith 
was  alive,  in  an  argument  hard  to  follow,  and  bringing  out  a  con- 
clusion which  to  plain  minds  is  contrary  to  common  sense,  saying 
that  in  certain  states  he  was  not  responsible  for  his  bad  actions, 
for  it  was  not  he  who  did  them  but  evil  in  him.  But  the  Spirit  of 
Jesus  delivered  him  from  all  that.  And  yet  he  could  wish  to  be 
banished  from  Jesus  for  ever,  if  that  could  bring  his  countrymen 
to  Him. 

And  so  the  composition  of  the  great  letter  progressed  from 
day  to  day  under  the  pen  of  Tertius,  who  was  most  likely  a  trained 
scribe,  and  a  faster  writer  than  Timothy. 


Jerusalem,    Rome,   and  Spain. 

CORINTH:    AGED    50-60. 

WITH  his  friends  sitting  by,  listening  to  blazings  forth  of 
truth  which  astonished  them,  and  to  trains  of  subtle 
reasoning  which  they  could  not  follow,  Paul  continued  his  letter. 

In  a  long  rabbinic  argument  about  the  Jewish  law,  he  re- 
ferred to  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  Sarah,  Rebekah,  Esau,  Moses ; 
and  then  came  a  rich  opening  of  the  very  heart  of  the  gospel, 
which  he  proclaimed  wherever  he  went — that  if  they  confessed 
that  Jesus  is  Lord,  and  believed  that  God  raised  Him  from  the 
dead,  they  would  be  saved.  In  these  great  and  simple  words 
he  showed  his  fellow-countrymen  how  easy  was  the  way  of  Jesus 
compared  with  the  endless  laws  and  rules  of  the  old  Jewish  way. 

Turning  from  the  Jews  to  all  Christians,  he  admonished  them, 
in  a  mass  of  golden  thoughts,  in  which  it  is  easy  to  recognize 
lights  and  flashes  of  the  sayings  of  Jesus, — 

"  Bless  them  that  persecute  you  :  bless,  and  curse  not. 

"Bejoice  with  them  that  rejoice;  weep  with  them  that  weep. 

"Be  of  the  sam.e  mind  one  toward  another= 

"  Set  not  your  mind  on  high  things,  but  on  things  lowly. 


392  JERUSALEM,    ROME,    AND    SPAIN. 

*'  Be  not  wise  in  your  own  eyes. 

"  Render  not  evil  for  evil. 

*'  Revenge  not  yourselves,  but  give  place  to  anger. 

"  Love  to  your  neighbour  is  equal  to  the  whole  Jewish  law. 

"  If  thine  enemy  hunger,  feed  him ;  if  he  thirst,  give  him  to 
drink. 

"  Be  not  overcome  with  evil,  but  overcome  evil  with  good." 

From  these  mountain-tops  of  Christianity  he  went  down  into 
the  valleys  of  everyday  conduct  and  business.  They  were  to 
honour  and  obey  their  Roman  rulers,  and  be  good  citizens,  paying 
the  taxes  and  the  customs  dues,  and  owe  no  man  anything,  and 
they  need  fear  no  one.  Paul  knew  what  it  was  to  be  befriended 
by  a  Roman  judge  and  by  the  Roman  law.  Some  of  them  would 
only  eat  herbs,  others  thought  more  of  one  day  than  another ;  but 
eating  or  not  eating  certain  foods  could  not  make  a  man  good  or 
bad.     Again  he  reflected  the  sayings  of  Jesus  in  these  words, — 

"  The  kingdom  of  God  is  not  eating  and  drinking,  but  right- 
eousness, joy,  and  peace  in  God." 

From  Jerusalem  in  Palestine  to  Illyricum  beyond  Macedonia 
he  had  taught  the  gospel  of  Jesus,  going  where  His  name  was  un- 
known, so  that  no  man  could  say  he  had  followed  him.  He  had' 
been  hindered  many  times  from  coming  to  Rome;  but  now,  having 
no  more  places  to  visit,  he  would  come,  on  his  way  to  Spain.  He 
would  first  go  to  Jerusalem,  to  deliver  the  money  collected  in 
Macedonia  and  Greece  for  the  poor  Christians,  and  then  go  on 
towards  Spain,  visiting  Rome  on  the  way;  and  he  hoped  they 
would  help  him  forward  on  this  long  journey.  They  were  a  con- 
gregation formed  by  somebody  else,  and  he  would  not  remain  long 
with  them.  He  had  enemies  in  Jerusalem,  and  he  asked  them 
to  pray  for  him,  that  he  might  be  delivered  from  these  disobedient 
men,  and  that  his  ministration  which  he  had  for  the  poor  Christians 
of  Jerusalem  might  be  pleasing  to  them,  so  that  he  might  come  on 
to  Rome,  through  the  will  of  God,  with  joy,  and  find  rest  there. 

The  rest  of  the  letter  consists  of  salutations  and  messages.  It 
is  strange  that  he  should  ask  these  men  of  Rome  to  pray  that  he 
might  be  protected  from  the  false  Christians  at  Jerusalem,  and 
that  his  gift  should  be  received  favourably.  There  were  still  men 
there  who  said  he  was  perverting  Christianity,  wrenching  it  away 
from  its  Jewish  foundations,  and  offering  it  to  foreigners  in  a 
way  that  no  Jew  should  do.  He  knew  who  was  to  carry  this 
great  letter  to  Rome — a  thing  of  importance  to  him,  and  of  danger 
to  the  messenger ;  and,  strange  to  say,  the  messenger  was  to  be 
Phoebe,  a  woman  of  Cenchrea.  They  were  to  help  her  in  her 
business,  for  she  had  been  a  helper  of  many.     He  had  written 


HOLLOWS    OF    FLOWERS.  393 

to  the  Corinthian  Christians  as  if  women  were  to  take  no  part 
in  their  congregations,  and  yet  Phoebe  was  an  office-bearer  in 
Cenchrea ;  and  her  name  has  come  down  to  us  in  a  halo  of 
womanliness,  as  a  helper  of  many. 

Before  writing,  he  must  have  made  close  inquiries  about  the 
Christians  at  Rome,  for  he  s-ent  greetings  to  twenty-six  men  and 
women  by  name,  and  to  friends  not  named,  and  also  to  five  small 
congregations  that  met  in  houses.  Among  these  are  the  names  of 
his  old  friends  Aquila  and  his  wife,  who  risked  their  lives  for 
him.  After  six  years  the  humble  weaver  and  his  wife  were 
back  again  in  the  great  city,  and,  as  usual,  with  a  congregation  of 
Christians  in  their  little  house.  They  could  say  that  they  were 
the  first  to  carry  Christianity  to  Corinth,  and  had  sheltered  Paul 
there,  and  saved  his  life  at  Ephesus,  and  had  taught  Apollos,  and 
gathered  Christians  into  their  house  wherever  they  went. 

In  his  greetings  to  women  he  singles  out  Mary,  a  Jewess,  who 
had  done  much  work.  Two  of  the  men,  Andronicus  and  Junia, 
he  calls  apostles,  saying  that  they  were  relations  of  his  own,  and 
Christians  before  he  was.  These  Christians  of  Eome  were  Jews, 
Greeks,  and  Romans,  some  free  and  some  slaves.  They  were  to 
beware  of  the  Pharisee  Christians,  if  they  should  visit  them  ;  and 
his  companions,  Timothy,  Lucien,  Sosipater,  Jason,  Gains,  with 
whom  he  was  living,  and  Erastus,  the  city  treasurer,  and  all  the 
congregation  at  Corinth,  sent  their  greetings. 

And  so  this  letter,  the  greatest  he  ever  wrote,  was  drafted, 
corrected,  copied  out  by  Tertius,  read  over,  perhaps,  to  the  whole 
congregation  at  Corinth ;  and  then,  with  his  mark  and  seal  upon 
it,  the  long  paper  roll  would  be  sewn  up  in  a  haircloth  cover,  to 
preserve  it  from  wet,  and  committed  to  the  faithful  and  courageous 
woman,  who  was  ready  to  face  the  wintry  seas  as  the  bearer  of 
this  veritable  torch  of  light  to  Rome  and  the  world.  She  did  her 
work,  but  what  became  of  her  we  do  not  know.  Like  Tertius, 
and  Gains,  and  the  city  treasurer,  she  appears  for  an  instant 
shining  in  one  line  of  this  great  letter,  and  we  hear  no  more  of  her 
or  of  them,  but  their  names  are  part  of  the  world's  treasures. 


Hollows  of   Flowers, 

CORINTH:    AGED  50-60. 


LIVING  with  Gains,  with  the  city  treasurer,  and  perhaps  the 
-^    Roman  governor,  as  friends,  and  surrounded  by  others  who 


394  HOLLOWS   OF    FLOWERS. 

equally  loved  and  admired  him,  Paul  spent  the  winter — of  rain 
and  wind,  of  black  thunderstorms  and  bursts  of  sunshine — in 
comfort,  but  not  in  idleness.  He  worked  among  the  Christians 
until  he  had  removed  all  their  divisions,  and  his  voice  would  be 
frequently  heard  in  their  congregations.  It  is  not  difficult  to  know 
what  he  said  as  he  stood,  while  they  sat  on  mats  on  the  floor. 
The  women  were  unveiled  and  by  themselves,  but  not  hidden  by 
any  screen  ;  for  while  the  method  of  worship  was  after  the  pattern 
of  the  Jewish  synagogue,  the  Greeks  and  foreigners  had  other  cus- 
toms and  manners.  In  this  part  of  his  letter  to  them  he  stirs  and 
touches  them  with  his  sarcasm  and  power  : — 

"  I  wish  you  could  bear  with  me  in  a  little  foolishness  :  indeed 
you  must.  For  I  am  jealous  over  you,  that  I  may  present  you  pure 
to  Jesus ;  and  I  fear  lest  your  minds  should  be  corrupted  by  craft 
from  the  simplicity  and  purity  that  leads  to  Him.  You  did  wrong 
to  listen  to  another  teacher,  teaching  a  different  gospel ;  for  I 
consider  that  I  am  not  a  whit  behind  the  chief  apostles.  Though 
rude  in  speech,  I  am  not  rude  in  knowledge,  as  I  have  shown  to 
all  men.  Did  I  do  wrong  in  preaching  to  you  the  gospel  of  God 
for  nothing,  when  I  might  have  lived  upon  you?  I  took  help 
from  other  congregations,  that  I  might  minister  to  you  free ;  and 
when  I  was  in  want  among  you,  I  was  not  a  burden  upon  any  man. 
The  Christians  from  Macedonia  supplied  my  wants,  so  that  in 
everything  I  kept  myself  from  being  a  burden  to  you,  and  so 
will  I  continue.  No  man  shall  stop  my  glorying  in  this.  These 
men  are  false  apostles,  deceitful  workers,  trying  to  shape  them- 
selves into  apostles  of  the  Christ.  And  no  wonder  ;  for,  as  the 
rabbis  say,  the  Devil  shaped  himself  into  an  angel  of  light :  and  it 
was  no  great  thing  if  the  Devil's  servants  try  to  appear  ministers 
of  righteousness,  whose  punishment  shall  be  according  to  their 
works. 

"  Think  me  not  foolish ;  but  if  you  do,  let  it  be  that  I  may 
boast  a  little.  What  I  say  is  not  from  God,  but  in  foolishness. 
Seeing  that  these  men  boast  about  worldly  things  to  you  who 
are  so  wise,  so  will  I.  You  can  bear  with  men  who  would  bring 
you  into  slavery,  devour  you,  exalt  themselves,  and  smite  you  on 
the  face.  If  they  are  bold,  so  am  I.  Are  they  Hebrews,  Israel- 
ites, children  of  Abraham?  so  am  I.  Are  they  ministers  of  the 
Christ  ?  (speaking  as  if  mad)  I  am  more ;  in  toils  and  in  prisons 
more  abundant,  in  scourgings  above  count,  and  often  in  danger  of 
death.  If  I  am  foolish,  you  have  compelled  me.  Working  among 
you,  I  was  not  behind  the  chief  apostles,  though  I  am  as  nothing ; 
but  the  true  marks  of  an  apostle  were  shown  among  you  in  all 
patience,  in  signs,  wonders,  and  powers.     In  what  did  I  make  you 


HOLLOWS    OF    FLOWERS.  395 

inferior  to  other  congregations,  except  that  I  was  not  a  burden 
to  you  ?  and  you  can  forgive  me  for  that.  I  seek  not  your  money, 
but  you ;  and  I  will  most  gladly  spend  and  be  spent  out  for  your 
souls.  And  if  I  love  you  so  much,  am  I  therefore  to  be  loved  the 
less?  They  say  I  did  not  burden  you  myself,  but  caught  you  with 
cunning.  Did  any  of  them  that  I  sent  ever  take  advantage  of  you  1 
Did  not  Titus  walk  in  the  same  spirit,  treading  in  the  same  steps 
as  myself? 

"  This  is  the  third  time  that  I  have  come  to  you,  and  I  will  not 
spare  you,  seeing  that  you  have  asked  a  proof  that  Jesus  speaks  in 
me.  He  was  crucified  in  weakness,  but  lives  through  the  power 
of  God ;  and  we  are  weak  with  Him,  and  shall  live  with  Him 
through  the  same  power.  Try  yourselves,  and  prove  yourselves 
whether  you  are  in  the  faith.  Do  you  not  know  that  the  Spirit  of 
Jesus  the  Christ  is  in  you  unless  you  are  unbelievers?  But  we 
are  not  now  unbelievers.  I  pray  God  that  you  may  do  no  evil, 
but  ever  that  which  is  honourable.  We  can  do  nothing  against 
the  truth,  but  only  for  it ;  and  I  rejoice  when  I  am  weak  and  you 
are  strong,  and  pray  for  your  perfection.  May  the  grace  of  Jesus, 
the  love  of  God,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  be  with  you  all." 

By  the  end  of  February  the  plains  were  again  deep  with  grass, 
hidden  here  and  there  in  hollows  of  flowers,  crimson  and  gold, 
white  and  blue,  and  the  deep  woods  about  the  temple  of  Neptune 
were  again  covered  with  the  light  tints  of  spring,  amid  the  dark- 
leaved  evergreens.  But  the  blue  skies  and  steady  winds  were 
more  noticed  by  sailors  and  travellers,  and  in  the  harbours  of 
Lechaeum  and  Cenchrea  coasting-boats  were  having  the  figure-head 
coloured  in  fresh  red  and  blue,  and  the  great  white  eye  repainted, 
in  readiness  for  the  summer.  The  time  had  come  for  Paul  to 
carry  out  his  great  intention  of  going  to  Jerusalem,  Rome,  and 
Spain. 

James  and  the  apostles  at  Jerusalem  asked  him  to  collect 
for  their  poor,  and  he  had  gathered  from  all  the  congregations  in 
the  provinces  of  Syria,  Asia,  Galatia,  Macedonia,  and  Achaia,  and 
some  sent  men  to  accompany  him  with  their  collection,  so  that 
there  was  a  large  sum  in  Corinth.  He  hoped  to  convey  it  safely 
to  Jerusalem,  but  Jews  who  were  the  bearers  of  their  temple 
money  were  often  robbed.  Although  he  was  taking  such  a  large 
offering,  he  was  so  doubtful  how  he  would  be  received,  and  feared 
so  much  for  his  own  safety,  that  he  prayed  daily  to  be  preserved  ; 
and  still  the  impression  grew  upon  him  that  he  was  going  into 
danger  out  of  which  he  might  never  come. 

But  his  first  danger  was  to  come  from  Jews  nearer  at  hand. 
For  some  unknown  reason  he  wished  to  reach  Jerusalem  in  time 


396  HOLLOWS    OF    FLOWERS. 

for  the  Passover  festival,  for  he  was  still  ready  to  take  part  in 
that  supper  in  the  Jewish  fashion.  The  ship  was  fixed,  and  as  the 
day  of  departure  drew  near,  there  would  be  farewell  meetings  with 
his  many  friends,  all  the  more  solemn  and  impressive  because  they 
knew  of  his  fear  that  he  was  going  to  a  prison  in  Jerusalem. 
Would  they  ever  see  him  again  ?  Who  could  tell  1  Nor  would  it 
be  without  tears  and  cries  that  they  listened  to  his  exhortations  to 
goodness  and  his  prayers  for  them.  Again  we  turn  to  the  letters 
for  his  thoughts  at  Corinth  : — 

"  If,  as  men  do,  I  fought  with  beasts  at  Ephesus,  of  what  profit 
was  it,  if  the  dead  rise  not  again  ?  As  condemned  men  say,  let  us 
eat  and  drink,  for  to-morrow  we  are  to  die.  Do  not  deceive  your- 
selves :  bad  companions  will  make  you  bad.  Wake  up  from 
drunkenness  to  righteousness,  and  sin  not ;  for  some  of  you  do  not 
know  God.  I  say  this  to  make  you  ashamed.  But  some  one 
will  ask  me,  How  are  the  dead  raised  ?  and  with  what  body  will 
they  come?  O  foolish  one,  the  seed  which  is  sown  does  not  spring 
until  it  dies ;  and  what  is  sown  is  not  the  body  that  will  be,  but 
a  single  grain  of  wheat  or  barley  :  and  God  gives  the  seed  a  body. 
All  things  are  not  made  of  the  same  matter,  nor  have  they  the 
same  glory.  The  sun,  moon,  and  stars  are  different,  and  one  star 
differs  from  another  in  glory.  So  also  is  it  in  the  resurrection. 
We  are  sown  a  perishable  body,  and  raised  imperishable ;  sown  in 
dishonour,  raised  in  glory ;  sown  in  weakness,  raised  in  strength ; 
sown  a  natural  body,  raised  a  spiritual  body.  Adam  became  a 
living  soul,  Jesus  a  life-giving  spirit.  As  we  have  borne  an  earthly 
shape,  so  shall  we  bear  a  heavenly  one. 

"But  flesh  and  blood  cannot  come  into  the  kingdom  of  God ; 
neither  does  the  perishable  come  into  the  imperishable.  I  now 
tell  you  a  mystery :  We  shall  not  all  die,  but  we  shall  all  be 
changed.  For  this  perishable  body  must  put  on  the  imperishable, 
and  this  mortal  body  put  on  immortality,  and  then  shall  be  what 
is  written  in  the  Bible,  Death  is  swallowed  up  in  victory.  O 
death,  where  is  thy  victory  ?  O  grave,  where  is  thy  sting  1  The 
sting  of  death  is  sin ;  but  thanks  be  to  God,  who  gives  us  the 
victory  through  our  Lord  Jesus  the  Christ.  Therefore,  my  be- 
loved brothers,  be  steadfast  and  immovable,  always  excelling  in 
the  work  of  Jesus,  for  you  know  that  your  labour  is  not  useless  in 
Him. 

"  Watch  ye,  stand  fast  in  the  faith,  quit  you  like  men,  and  be 
strong ;  and  let  all  that  you  do  be  done  in  love.  If  any  man  loves 
not  Jesus,  let  him  be  an  outcast.  The  grace  of  Jesus  be  with  you, 
and  my  love  be  with  you  in  Him." 


EETURNING    WITH    DREAD    TO    JERUSALEM.  397 

Returning  with   Dread   to  Jerusalem. 

CORINTH:    AGED  50-60. 

IT  was  known  to  the  Jews  of  the  city  that  Paul  was  going  in  the 
ship  that  was  taking  pilgrims  to  Jerusalem,  calling  at  ports 
on  the  way.  Whether  it  was  that  they  did  not  wish  to  have  him 
with  them,  or  that  some  men  were  going  to  seize  the  money  he 
was  taking,  we  do  not  know,  but  there  was  a  Jewish  plot  to  kill 
him  if  he  went.  It  was  discovered  at  the  last  moment,  and  he 
let  the  ship  sail  without  him,  and  escaped  the  danger. 

His  plans  were  then  changed,  and  instead  of  going  in  a  pilgrim 
ship  direct  to  Palestine,  he  joined  with  Sopater,  Aristarchus,  and 
Secundus  (from  the  province  of  Macedonia),  Tychicus  and  Tro- 
phimus  (from  the  province  of  Asia),  Gaius  and  Timothy  (from 
Galatia),  to  go  to  Philippi  and  hold  the  Passover  there.  When  he 
bade  farewell  to  Corinth,  with  its  castle  on  the  rock,  and  far- 
reaching  plains,  its  winding  rivers  and  green  woods,  it  was  for  the 
last  time.  At  Cenchrea  he  would  also  hold  a  last  meeting  with 
the  Christians,  in  which  he  would  speak  long,  and  his  words  would 
be  as  nails  fastened  in  their  memory. 

"  If  I  preach  that  Jesus  has  been  raised  from  the  dead,  how  do 
some  of  you  say  that  there  is  no  resurrection  of  the  dead?  If 
there  is  none,  then  Jesus  has  not  been  raised  :  and  if  He  has  not, 
then  my  preaching  and  your  faith  are  of  no  use.  We  also  would 
be  false  witnesses  of  God ;  for  we  have  said  that  He  raised  up 
Jesus  the  Christ :  which  would  not  be  true,  if  the  dead  are  not 
raised.  If  they  are  not  raised,  neither  has  Jesus  been  raised  :  and 
if  so,  your  faith  is  useless,  and  you  are  not  saved,  and  they  who 
have  died  trusting  in  Him  have  perished.  If  we  hope  in  Jesus 
for  this  life  only,  then  of  all  men  we  are  most  to  be  pitied.  But 
Jesus  has  risen  from  the  grave,  the  first  of  the  fruits  of  them  that 
are  dead  :  for  as  by  a  man  death  came,  so  by  a  man  comes  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead." 

There  would  be  a  good  company,  with  men  from  the  province 
of  Achaia  also,  as  they  stood  in  the  boat,  under  the  great  peaked 
sail,  gazing  silently  at  the  figures  of  their  friends  on  the  stone  quay, 
who  watched  them  sailing  out  of  the  bay  of  Cenchrea  towards  the 
tossing  sea  and  the  blue  islands.  Before  the  sun  rested  in  gold 
and  crimson  on  the  hills  of  the  Morea,  they  had  passed  Athens, 
flying  before  the  north  wind.  For  the  last  time  he  saw  the  white 
temple  on  the  heights  as  he  sailed  round  Cape  Sunium,  which  he 
had  passed  only  a  few  months  before,  in  hot  autumn  weather. 


398  RETURNING   WITH   DREAD   TO   JERUSALEM. 

But  now  the  days  were  cool  and  windy,  and  the  nights  very  cold ; 
for  the  year  was  young — a  year  laden  with  great  changes  for 
the  earnest,  fearless  traveller.  As  usual,  they  would  set  sail  at 
the  first  ray  of  dawn,  and  anchor  again,  at  the  setting  of  the  sun, 
in  some  sheltered  bay.  Instead  of  coasting  up  inside  the  island 
of  Negropont,  they  sailed  out  into  the  blue  ^gean  Sea,  heading 
towards  far-off  Mount  Athos,  the  sailors'  landmark,  for  the  coast 
of  Macedonia. 

What  he  said  to  his  companions  on  these  long  sunny  days  and 
starry  nights  we  are  not  told,  but  this  is  from  one  of  his 
letters : — 

"  I  would  not  have  you  to  be  ignorant  of  the  different  ways 
of  serving  in  the  congregation  of  Christians.  Before  you  became 
Christians,  you  were  led  away  hither  and  thither  after  dumb 
idols.  You  must  know  that  no  man  can  be  inspired  with  the 
Spirit  of  God  who  cries  out,  Cursed  be  Jesus,  as  unbelievers  say. 
But  any  man  who  says  that  Jesus  is  Lord  speaks  by  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  God.  There  are  different  ways  of  speaking  in  the  con- 
gregation, and  of  ministering  and  working,  by  the  help  of  God's 
Spirit.  To  one  is  given  words  of  wisdom  and  knowledge ;  to 
another,  faith,  and  healing  power,  and  preaching ;  and  through  all 
these  God  works,  giving  to  each  man  what  He  will.  As  we  have 
hearing,  smelling,  seeing,  walking,  all  belonging  to  the  one  body, 
and  no  one  part  of  the  body  can  do  without  the  other,  so  are  we 
in  Jesus.  For  we  were  all  baptized  into  one  Spirit ;  whether  Jews 
or  foreigners,  slaves  or  freemen,  we  all  share  in  the  one  Spirit  of 
God.  In  the  congregation  you  are  all  joined  to  Jesus.  But  God 
has  given  you  different  gifts.  You  are  not  all  apostles,  prophets, 
or  teachers.      Earnestly  try  to  have  the  greater  gifts." 

In  about  ten  days'  time  they  would  sail  past  Mount  Athos,  a 
strange  cone  of  hoary  white  that  rises  to  a  height  greater  than  any 
English  mountain,  a  hill  that  is  now  looked  upon  as  holy  by 
thousands  of  monks  who  have  their  homes  among  its  cliffs  and 
gorges.  Two  days  more  and  they  sailed  into  the  bay  of  Neapolis, 
with  its  bronze  Neptune  standing  above  the  busy  harbour,  and 
its  three  white  temples  amid  their  groves  on  the  hillside.  The 
ship  went  on  to  Troy  with  Tychicus  and  Trophimus,  but  Paul  and 
the  others  came  on  shore,  and  rode  up  over  the  Pangean  Hills  to 
the  familiar  city  of  Philippi. 

There  he  found  an  important  friend — none  other  than  Luke, 
the  beloved  physician,  who  brought  him  to  Philippi.  Almost  six 
years  had  passed  since  they  first  met  in  Troy.  They  may  have 
met  again  in  the  interval,  but  we  have  no  sign  that  they  travelled 
tocjether.     But  henceforth  Luke  would  be  the  sharer  of  his  trials 


THE    LAD    IN    THE    WINDOW.  399 

and  adventures,  and  would  write  the  book  without  which  we  would 
know  very  little  of  Paul's  life  and  journeys. 

Paul  and  his  friends  were  in  time  for  the  Jewish  Passover 
in  April,  but  whether  he  joined  in  that  festival  with  his  fellow- 
countrymen  we  do  not  know.  If  he  did  eat  of  the  roast  lamb, 
the  unleavened  cake,  and  the  bitter  herbs,  it  would  not  be 
with  the  Jews  of  the  old  religion,  but  with  those  who  had  become 
Christians.  In  Lydia's  house,  which  was  their  meeting-place,  he 
would  speak  to  them  of  the  glorious  gospel  of  the  higher  life 
in  Jesus,  as  he  had  often  done  before.  But  they  did  not  know 
that  his  farewell  words  were  to  be  farewell  for  ever,  although  they 
heard  him  say  that  he  had  warnings  of  danger  in  Jerusalem. 

"  Since  the  day  that  I  heard  of  your  love  in  the  Spirit,  I  have 
not  ceased  to  pray  that  you  may  be  filled  with  the  knowledge  of 
God's  will  in  all  spiritual  wisdom  and  understanding ;  living  worthy 
of  Jesus,  and  well-pleasing  to  God  ;  bearing  fruit  in  every  good 
deed,  growing  in  the  knowledge  of  Him,  and  strengthened  with 
His  power,  by  the  might  of  His  glory,  unto  patience,  long-suffering, 
and  joy.  Give  thanks  to  God  the  Father,  who  has  made  us  fit  to 
share  the  rewards  of  the  children  of  light.  He  has  delivered  us 
out  of  the  power  of  darkness,  and  put  us  into  the  kingdom  of  the 
Son  of  His  love,  in  whom  we  have  redemption  and  the  forgiveness 
of  our  sins.  In  past  times  you  were  enemies  to  God  in  your 
thoughts  and  deeds  ;  but  you  have  been  reconciled  to  Him  through 
the  death  of  Jesus,  that  you  may  be  presented  holy  and  with- 
out fault  before  Him.  But  you  must  continue  fixed  and  stead- 
fast in  the  faith,  not  to  be  moved  away  from  the  hope  of  the 
gospel,  which  you  have  heard,  and  which  has  been  preached 
everywhere,  of  which  I  Paul  am  a  minister.  I  rejoice  in  all 
my  sufferings  for  your  sake.  I  am  a  minister  of  Jesus,  the  hope 
of  glory  in  you.  Him  I  proclaim,  advising  and  teaching  every 
man  in  all  wisdom,  that  I  may  ])resent  you  perfect.  To  that 
end  I  toil,  striving  according  to  His  will,  who  works  with  power 
through  me." 


The   Lad   in  the  Window. 

PHILIPPI  :     AGED    50-60. 

THEY  spent  the  Passover  week  at  Philippi,  "the  place  of 
fountains,"  whose  rivers  braided  the  plains  with  silver,  and 
then  rode  down  to  Neapolis  again.  There  they  found  a  ship  to 
tak©  them  over  to  Troy,  on  the  coast  of  Asia,  about  a  hundred 


400  THE    LAD    IN    THE    WINDOW. 

miles  distant,  taking  Luke  with  them,  who  will  henceforth  give 
us  fuller  details  of  what  Paul  said  and  did.  Sailing  out  of 
the  harbour  in  a  little  coasting-boat,  the  wind  changed,  and 
they  had  to  seek  the  shelter  of  islands,  taking  five  days  to  sail 
a  distance  usually  done  in  two.  They  were  glad  when  the  boat 
entered  the  wide  sandy  mouth  of  the  river,  and  was  rowed  up 
to  the  stone  quay  of  Troy  harbour,  where  they  were  met  by 
Tychicus  and  Trophimus,  who  had  been  there  for  some  weeks; 
and  they  all  went  up  to  the  city  on  the  side  of  the  hill,  where 
there  were  now  many  Christians. 

While  the  ship  waited  for  fine  weather  in  the  harbour,  Paul 
and  his  friends  lived  with  the  Christians  in  the  city ;  and  as  they 
were  a  week  there,  we  get  a  vivid  glimpse  from  Luke  of  one  of 
their  strange  Sunday  meetings.  The  first  day  of  the  week  was 
not  known  as  Sunday,  or  the  Sabbath,  but  as  the  day  on 
which  the  Lord  rose ;  and  the  Christians  met  at  the  dawn  of 
that  day  in  memory  of  His  rising,  singing  together,  and  admonish- 
ing each  other  to  good  deeds.  It  was  no  holiday,  for  the 
city  worshipped  idols,  and  paid  no  heed  to  the  Jewish  idea  of 
resting  every  seventh  day.  They  met  again  throughout  the  day, 
but  their  most  important  meeting  was  at  sunset,  when  they 
spoke,  and  sang,  and  prayed,  and  their  leader  broke  bread 
at  supper,  as  Jesus  used  to  do  with  His  disciples.  This  meal 
they  ate  lovingly  together,  calling  it  their  "  love-feast " — a  name 
which  is  still  kept  up  by  some  Christians.  It  was  at  these 
meals,  under  the  dim,  smoky  lamps,  that  those  who  had  been 
accustomed  to  the  feasting  and  drinking  of  the  idols'  temples 
confused  the  two  things,  and  caused  disorder  and  disgrace. 

The  city  had  good  streets  and  fine  houses,  and  the  one  in 
which  they  met  was  three  stories  high,  the  lower  fiats  being  used 
for  living  in,  while  the  top  fiat  was  the  large  upper  room  for 
meetings,  reached  by  an  outside  stone  stair.  It  would  not  likely 
hold  more  than  a  hundred  people,  but  it  was  crowded  on  that 
Sunday  evening ;  for  Paul,  the  great  teacher  of  whom  wonders 
were  freely  told,  had  arrived  in  a  ship  from  Macedonia,  and 
would  be  there.  The  doors  were  shut,  for  they  were  careful 
that  outsiders  should  not  hear  what  was  said ;  but  the  place  was 
lighted,  in  the  Eastern  fashion,  with  many  hanging  lamps,  some 
bright,  some  smoky ;  and  as  the  night  was  hot,  the  little 
slit  windows  high  up  were  wide  open.  By  this  time  Paul's 
friends  were  nearly  all  in  the  ship  again,  sailing  round  a  cape  of 
land  to  wait  for  him,  while  he  held  a  farewell  meeting  with  the 
Christians.  Knowing  he  would  leave  next  morning,  and  having  a 
ieeling  that  he  would  never  see  them  again,  he  spoke  long.     We 


THE    LAD    IN    THE    WINDOW.  401 

can  easily  gather  what  he  would  say  from  his  letters,  for  he  had 
but  one  gospel  for  all, 

"  Let  not  sin  have  power  over  your  bodies,  but  present  your- 
selves to  God  as  alive  from  the  dead,  and  instruments  of  His 
righteousness.  Sin  shall  not  have  power  over  you :  for  you  are 
not  under  the  Jewish  law,  but  under  the  grace  of  God.  You  know 
that  whom  you  offer  to  obey  as  slaves,  his  slaves  you  are,  either 
of  sin  unto  death,  or  righteousness  unto  life.  But  God  be 
thanked,  whereas  you  were  once  slaves  of  sin,  you  have  become 
obedient  from  the  heart  to  the  teaching  by  which  you  were  de- 
livered. Made  free  from  sin,  you  have  become  servants  of 
righteousness." 

The  red  sun  sank  over  the  isles  of  purple  and  crimson  out 
among  the  rippling  waves,  and  the  stars  hung  their  silver  lamps 
in  the  violet  sky,  but  Paul  still  spoke  on,  and  the  people  listened 
as  to  the  voice  of  an  angel  in  their  midst ;  and  the  bread  had  not 
yet  been  broken  among  them.  It  was  past  midnight  when  a  sharp 
cry  arose,  and  there  was  immediate  confusion.  A  lad  had  fallen 
out  of  one  of  the  windows.  He  had  climbed  up  to  a  seat  where 
he  could  see  the  night  outside,  and  the  smoky  lamps  within ;  and 
overcome  with  heat,  lateness,  and  Paul's  long  speaking,  he  fell 
asleep,  and  overbalancing,  fell  out  of  the  window  with  a  cry. 
Paul  stopped.  The  door  was  quickly  unfastened.  Those  who 
found  the  lad  on  the  ground  said  he  was  dead.  Paul  went  down 
by  the  outside  stair,  and  kneeling  by  the  body,  stretched  himself 
upon  him,  as  the  prophets  of  old  did,  and  kissed  him,  saying  to 
those  who  were  wailing  round  him,  "  Make  no  ado.  His  life  is  in 
him."  These  were  joyful  words  to  the  lad's  friends ;  and  leaving 
him  in  their  care,  the  people  returned  upstairs  to  the  meeting. 
Then  Paul,  standing  up  before  them,  solemnly  blessed  the  bread, 
and  broke  it,  and  handed  it  to  them,  as  Jesus  used  to  do,  and 
they  ate  their  love  meal  together  for  the  last  time.  After  that 
he  resumed  speaking. 

"  I  speak  as  men  speak,  so  to  reach  you ;  for  as  you  have  once 
been  the  slaves  of  uncleanness  and  badness,  so  now  you  must  be 
the  servants  of  righteousness.  When  you  were  the  slaves  of 
wickedness,  you  served  not  righteousness.  What  fruit  was  there 
for  you,  in  things  of  which  you  are  now  ashamed  ?  for  they  end  in 
death.  Being  freed  from  the  slavery  of  wickedness,  and  having 
entered  the  service  of  God,  you  have  now  your  fruit  in  holiness, 
ending  in  life  for  evermore.  For  the  wages  of  sin  is  death ;  but 
God's  free  gift  is  life  for  ever  in  Jesus  the  Christ,  our  Lord." 

The  night  wore  on  ;  the  stars  grew  dim  and  ceased  to  sparkle 
as  the  golden  day  broke  over  the  pine  trees  on  Mount  Ida.    He  told 

(1,040)  26 


402  A    SORROWFUL    FAREWELL. 

them  that  his  work  was  done  in  that  part  of  the  world,  that  he 
was  going  away  to  the  west — to  Jerusalem,  Rome,  and  Spain — 
and  that  his  fears  were  greatest  for  Jerusalem,  where  chains  and 
a  prison  awaited  him  ;  and  he  asked  them  to  pray  for  him,  that  he 
might  be  delivered  from  bad  men.  As  the  red  flush  of  the  dawn 
stole  up  the  sky,  filling  the  windows  with  slits  of  blue  and  rose, 
the  lamps  hanging  from  the  roof  smoked  and  looked  yellow, 
and  with  earnest  prayers  for  them  all,  the  long  meeting  came  to 
an  end. 

Out  into  the  sweet  morning  air  the  Christians  came,  and  down 
the  narrow  stair,  excited,  enthusiastic,  going  to  see  him  off  upon 
his  ride  of  twenty  miles  over  the  dewy  hills  to  Assos.  And 
among  those  who  saw  him  mount  and  start  was  the  lad  who 
fell  from  the  window,  and  his  friends  rejoiced  that  he  was  alive 
and  well. 


A  Sorrowful   Farewell. 

MILETUS  :     AGED    50-60. 

GOING  out  by  the  south  gate,  like  a  tunnel  through  the  thick 
city  wall,  the  Christians  accompanied  Paul  as  he  rode  along 
the  paved  Roman  road  towards  Assos.  The  bushes  by  the  little 
streams  were  covered  with  blossoms  of  red  and  white,  and  the  dew 
of  the  morning  drew  out  their  fragrance  upon  the  cool  air.  The 
note  of  the  turtle-dove  came  from  the  green  woods,  for  it  was  the 
month  of  all  the  year  for  brightest  flowers  and  sweet  bird-calls. 
He  rode  past  the  famous  hot  springs  where  fine  gentlemen  of 
the  city  went  to  bathe  and  have  themselves  rubbed  with  sweet- 
smelling  oils  by  slaves — a  difierent  life  from  that  of  the  Jew  in  the 
brown  cloak,  whom  they  passed,  with  friends  about  him,  on  the 
road  that  like  a  white  band  wound  up  and  down  along  the  hillside. 
The  ship  was  waiting  round  Cape  Lectum  while  they  were 
toiling  over  the  hills,  to  come  down  at  the  town  of  Assos,  and  go 
on  for  a  mile  farther  of  steep,  rough  road  to  the  port  at  the  rocky 
shore.  His  friends  came  twenty  miles,  and  waited  until  he  was 
taken  up  by  the  ship,  weeping  as  they  turned  away ;  for  at  that 
time,  and  in  these  lands,  men  were  not  ashamed  to  be  seen  weep- 
ing as  they  are  with  us,  and  he  had  told  them  of  his  fears  of 
imprisonment.  With  the  rustling  north  wind  blowing  steadily 
behind  them  from  dawn  to  sunset,  and  the  great  peaked  sail 
bulging  from  the  single  mast,  they  sailed  on  to  the  harbour  of 
the  large  city  of  Mitylene,  on  the  island  of  Lesbos.     It  was  the 


A   SORROWFUL    FAREWELL.  403 

birthplace  of  Sappho,  the  greatest  woman  poet  of  the  Greeks, 
and  whose  poems  have  come  down  to  us,  but  who  was  dead  six 
hundred  years  before  Paul  sailed  into  the  harbour.  There  they 
sheltered  behind  the  stone  breakwater,  for  the  moon  was  dark, 
and  the  wind  changed  each  evening  at  sunset,  so  that  they  had  to 
reach  a  place  of  shelter  and  anchor  every  night. 

With  the  first  gleam  of  morning  on  the  sea  the  sail  was  shaken 
out,  and  again  the  boat  swept  on  its  way  towards  the  Gulf  of 
Smyrna.  Before  the  skies  were  red  that  evening  they  were  sixty 
miles  farther  on  their  way,  with  isles  of  purple  and  crimson  flushed 
with  the  sun,  as  they  dropped  anchor  in  the  narrow  strait 
opposite  the  yellow  hills  of  the  isle  of  Chios,  where  citrons 
and  almond  trees  were  then  in  white  bloom  about  the  small 
houses.  Again  the  ruddy  dawn  found  them  sailing  among 
small  islands  clad  with  trees,  with  larger  islands  like  clouds  of 
blue  mist  on  the  horizon,  as  they  swept  on  towards  the  mountains 
by  the  Gulf  of  Ephesus.  Passing  the  cloud-capped  island  of 
Samos,  they  could  see  the  white  walls  of  towns  on  its  hillsides; 
but  they  did  not  anchor  there.  Paul  wished  to  reach  Jerusalem 
by  the  time  of  the  Pentecost  festival  at  the  end  of  May,  and  he 
had  intentionally  taken  a  passage  in  a  ship  that  would  not  call  at 
Ephesus ;  and  so  the  shipmaster  kept  outside  Samos,  in  the  mouth 
of  the  gulf,  and  touching  there,  passed  on  to  anchor  at  night 
behind  Cape  Trogyllium,  a  horn  of  the  Bay  of  Ephesus,  and 
about  twenty-five  miles  from  the  great  city.  Thei'e,  sheltered  by 
a  small  island,  they  were  safe  from  the  open  sea,  having  got  sixty 
miles  farther  on  their  voyage. 

Next  morning  the  sail  was  again  shaken  out  to  make  a  short 
trip  to  a  little  bay  at  the  mouth  of  the  great  river  Meander, 
that  flowed  past  Laodicea,  Hierapolis,  Colosse,  and  many  other 
cities,  bringing  down  so  much  earth  and  sand  that  it  has  gradually 
filled  up  the  bay  into  which  Paul's  boat  sailed  on  its  way  to  the 
port  of  Miletus.  There  they  found  a  walled  city  with  four  docks 
and  many  ships,  but,  strange  to  say,  the  small  islands  a  little 
distance  from  the  shore  were  in  possession  of  pirates  who  could 
not  be  driven  out.  The  ship  had  cargo  to  transfer  that  would 
take  some  days,  and  a  messenger  rode  off  to  Ephesus  to  tell  the 
Christians  that  Paul  and  his  friends  were  there,  and  to  come,  as 
he  was  on  his  way  to  preach  in  the  countries  of  the  West,  and 
might  never  return. 

The  quickest  way  for  them  to  come  was  in  a  boat,  sailing 
down  the  river,  across  the  blue  bay,  and  round  Cape  Trogyllium 
to  Miletus  harbour — half  a  day's  sailing  with  a  good  wind ;  and 
there  they  found  Paul's  ship.     He  would  tell  them  that  he  was 


404  A    SORROWFUL    FAREWELL. 

sailing  past  Ephesus,  for  he  had  intended  to  be  at  Jerusalem  by 
this  time  with  the  large  collection  of  money ;  and  he  would 
mention  his  fears  about  how  he  would  be  received,  and  say  that 
having  called  at  Miletus,  he  had  sent  for  them.  A  year  had  gone 
quickly  past  since  he  hurriedly  left  their  city  after  the  riot  of 
the  silversmiths,  and  he  wished  to  hear  how  they  fared ;  and  the 
elders  who  came  had  much  to  tell,  as  they  waited  there  until  the 
ship  left.  We  do  not  read  that  he  spoke  to  the  people  of  Miletus, 
an  ancient  city  famous  for  its  beautiful  cloths  and  carpets  and 
clever  house  furniture,  but  which  has  sunk  out  of  sight  in  a 
swamp  of  water  and  tall  reeds. 

But  again  he  had  to  move  on,  for  the  ship  was  ready ;  and,  as 
usual,  he  had  a  farewell  meeting  with  the  Christians  in  a  large 
upper  room,  as  at  Troy.  To  these  elderly  men  he  spoke  as  one 
who  had  grown  grey  in  the  faith,  in  which  he  urged  them  to  stand 
fast  and  be  strong.  Luke  was  there  noting  what  he  said ;  and  we 
can  see  Paul,  with  his  brown  travelling  cloak  hanging  open,  and 
showing  the  grey  tunic  within,  as  with  ever-moving  hand  he 
pleaded  with  them  and  prayed. 

"You  know  that  from  the  first  day  I  set  foot  in  Ephesus  I 
served  Jesus  with  a  lowly  mind,  and  tears,  amid  trials  from  plots 
of  the  synagogue  Jews ;  and  that  I  was  never  afraid  to  tell  you 
whatever  was  good  for  you  ;  teaching  publicly,  and  going  from 
house  to  house,  telling  botJi  Jews  and  foreigners  to  repent  towards 
God,  and  have  faith  in  Jesus.  Now  I  am  going  to  Jerusalem, 
guided  by  God's  Spirit,  not  knowing  what  will  happen  to  me, 
excepting  that  in  every  city  I  go  to  I  have  warnings  that  chains 
and  punishments  await  me  there.  But  I  do  not  hold  my  life  dear 
to  myself,  or  of  any  value  to  others,  if  only  I  may  run  my  course, 
and  finish  the  work  which  Jesus  gave  me  to  do,  to  make  known 
the  gospel  of  the  favour  and  kindness  of  God." 

He  was  reminding  them  of  days  of  sunshine  and  of  shadow,  of 
danger  and  escape,  spent  among  them  in  the  city  of  the  great  white 
temple,  mingled  with  strange  forebodings  and  warnings  that  some 
dread  thing  was  advancing  to  meet  him,  but  that  with  his  lion 
heart  he  would  not  flinch.  Then  came  the  saddest  part  of  all — 
"  And  now  I  know  that  you,  among  whom  I  went  speaking  of 
the  kingdom  of  God,  will  see  my  face  no  more."  A  wail  of  grief 
would  fill  the  room  at  these  words,  for  had  he  not  said  that  his 
forewarnings  were  from  God  ? 

"Therefore  I  tell  you  this  day  that  I  am  blameless  towards 
you,  for  I  did  not  shrink  from  telling  you  the  whole  about 
God.  Take  care  of  yourselves,  and  of  the  flock  over  which 
the  Spirit  of  God  has  made  you  overseers,  to  feed  them  that 


SAILING   FROM    ISLAND   TO    ISLAND.  405 

are  gathered  together  through  the  death  of  Jesus.  I  know  that, 
after  I  am  gone,  furious  wolves  will  rush  in  upon  you,  sparing 
not  the  flock ;  and  bad  men  will  rise  even  among  yourselves,  who 
will  try  with  lies  to  lead  others  astray.  Watch  therefore,  and 
remember  how  that  for  three  years  I  did  not  cease  to  advise  you 
by  day  and  night  with  tears.  Now  I  commend  to  you  Jesus,  and 
His  words  of  grace,  which  are  able  to  build  you  up,  and  give  you 
a  place  among  all  good  men."  And  as  an  accusation  flashed  across 
his  mind,  he  exclaimed  indignantly,  "I  envied  no  man's  gold,  or 
silver,  or  fine  clothes.  You  yourselves  know" — holding  out  his 
naked  arms  as  he  spoke — "  that  these  hands  have  worked  for  all 
my  wants,  and  for  those  of  the  men  who  were  with  me."  Did  he 
not  spin  and  weave,  shape  and  stitch,  whittle,  hammer,  and  toil, 
often  all  night  long,  rather  than  eat  bread  in  Ephesus  for  nothing  ? 
"  In  all  these  things  I  have  set  you  an  example,  how  that  by  so 
working  you  ought  to  help  the  weak.  Remember  the  saying  of 
Jesus  our  Lord  when  He  said,  It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to 
receive." 

And  so,  with  a  saying  of  Jesus  upon  his  lips,  his  voice  ceased, 
his  grey  head  drooped,  and  there  was  silence,  for  they  saw  he 
was  deeply  moved.  This  farewell  had  broken  his  strong  spirit, 
and  he  made  a  sign  for  prayer.  With  them  kneeling  round  him, 
some  with  shut  eyes  and  bowed  heads,  some  with  upraised  face 
and  eyes  gazing  as  if  into  heaven,  he  prayed  with  them  all  that 
they  might  hold  fast  to  the  faith  which  they  had  learned,  and  that 
he  might  be  preserved  from  danger  in  Jerusalem.  As  he  prayed 
tears  ran  down  brown  cheeks,  and  men  sobbed.  And  when  he 
rose,  and  they  came  one  by  one  to  bid  him  farewell,  they  wept 
aloud,  taking  him  round  the  neck  as  children  do,  kissing  him  over 
and  over  again  as  mothers  do,  and  gazing  into  his  eyes  as  lovers 
do,  for  he  had  said  they  would  never  see  him  again.  And  they 
were  a  sad  group,  in  their  cloaks  of  different  colours,  some  with 
bare  Greek  heads,  some  with  striped  Syrian  kerchiefs  hanging 
round  their  faces,  as  they  walked  with  him  down  to  the  ship  in 
the  harbour. 


Sailing  from   Island  to   Island. 

MILETUS  :     AGED    50-60. 

THE  light  of  the  rising  sun  glittered  on  the  sea,  as  the  ropes 
were  unloosed,  and  Paul's  shij)  passed  out  of  the  harbour 
of  Miletus,  and,  with  white  sail  outspread,  turned  southwards  be- 


406  SAILING    FROM    ISLAND    TO    ISLAND. 

fore  the  favouring  breeze  of  morning,  to  resume  the  voyage  along 
the  coast  of  Asia.  The  ragged  coast-line  faded  into  deep,  misty, 
sunny  bays,  and  ran  out  into  dark  rocky  points,  wild  and  broken 
and  mountainous,  with  snow  lying  in  the  clefts  of  the  hills  and 
in  white  patches  on  the  distant  mountains.  Looking  out  to  the 
sea,  the  blue  water  was  studded  with  islands  of  grey  and  opal, 
purple  and  amethyst,  near  and  far ;  and  among  the  farthest 
out  was  the  lonely  barren  island  of  Patmos,  with  its  caves,  to 
which  ere  long  the  gentle  apostle  John  would  be  banished,  to  write 
his  book  of  visions. 

Again  the  drooping  wind  and  the  crimson  of  sunset  upon  isle 
and  sea  told  the  Greek  captain  that  they  had  sailed  their  distance, 
and  they  turned  into  the  harbour  of  a  sheltered  town  on  the  island 
of  Cos.  It  was  only  a  little  place,  but  famed  for  its  delicate 
weaving,  good  wine,  and  a  temple  to  ^sculapius ;  and  there 
physicians  were  trained  in  a  college  with  a  well-filled  museum, 
to  which  old  students  liked  to  send  fresh  specimens.  And  some 
of  the  passengers  would  land  to  sleep  on  shore  rather  than  in  the 
small  crowded  boat. 

When  the  sail  was  shaken  out  to  the  morning  breeze,  they 
shaped  their  course  to  pass  round  Cape  Crio  on  the  mainland,  and 
the  large  island  of  Rhodes  came  into  view  forty  miles  off.  With 
wind  and  current  in  their  favour,  they  sailed  swiftly  towards  it, 
passing  inside  a  broken  chain  of  small  dangerous  islands.  And  in 
these  long,  sunny  days  they  conversed  together,  with  their  striped 
kerchiefs  shading  their  eyes ;  and  Paul  spoke  of  many  thinos  to 
these  men,  his  helpers  and  companions.  This  is  part  of  his  advice 
to  the  young  man  Timothy  : — 

"  It  is  a  true  saying,  that  if  a  man  desires  to  be  an  overseer  in 
the  congregation,  he  desires  a  good  thing.  But  overseers  must 
be  above  reproach,  having  only  one  wife,  and  being  temperate, 
sober-minded,  orderly,  hospitable,  able  to  teach  ;  not  quarrelsome 
over  wine,  not  lovers  of  money,  or  strikers,  but  gentle  and  peace- 
able. They  must  manage  well  their  own  house  and  children,  or 
how  shall  they  take  care  of  the  congregation  of  God  ?  They  must 
not  be  without  experience,  lest  they  be  conceited  and  fall ;  and 
must  be  well  spoken  of  among  them  also  who  are  not  Christians. 
Those  who  have  care  of  the  poor  must  be  grave,  not  deceitful, 
or  given  to  much  wine,  or  greedy  of  money,  but  men  who  hold 
the  faith  with  a  pure  conscience,  and  who  should  be  first  proved 
before  they  serve.  If  they  serve  well,  they  shall  gain  a  good 
standing,  and  great  boldness  in  the  faith  which  is  in  Jesus. 
Women  also  must  not  speak  ill  of  others,  but  be  grave,  temperate, 
and  faithful  in  everything." 


SAILING    FROM    ISLAND    TO    ISLAND.  407 

Uliodes,  with  its  high  wooded  hills,  was  called  the  queen  of  the 
-^gean,  and  when  darkness  came  down  they  had  turned  the 
north  end,  and  run  their  boat  into  the  far-famed  harbour  where 
once  stood  a  huge  brass  figure  of  a  man  with  a  foot  on  each  side 
of  the  entrance,  so  that  ships  could  sail  under  him^one  of  the 
wonders  of  the  world.  But  earthquakes  have  no  regard  for  such 
things,  and  the  figure  was  years  ago  upset  and  toppled  into  the 
sea,  so  that  only  the  brass  legs  were  standing  for  Paul  to  sail 
between.  It  was  a  city  famous  for  shipbuilding,  and  for  such 
lovely  gardens  sheltered  by  high  surrounding  hills  that  a  rose 
was  stamped  upon  their  pennies  as  their  emblem,  and  "  The  nun 
shines  every  day  here  "  was  a  proverb  of  the  place. 

When  the  morning  brightened  upon  the  grey  walls  of  the 
forts  at  the  harbour,  and  on  the  white  temple  of  the  sun  amid  the 
green  trees,  the  sail  was  spread,  and  the  ship  moved  out  into  the 
blue  bay.  Afar  off"  was  the  mainland  of  Lycia,  with  the  Taurus 
Mountains  crowding  in  fantastic  shapes  to  the  edge  of  the  sea. 
As  the  morning  sun  streamed  over  them  they  seemed  not  of  earth 
and  rock,  but  peaks  and  ranges  of  every  hue  and  shade  of  marble, 
from  delicate  rose  to  deepest  crimson,  changing  swiftly,  as  the  sun 
rose,  from  red  to  purple  and  blue,  for  they  were  covered  with  snow 
as  pure  and  lustrous  as  the  sky  above. 

They  were  now  sailing  through  sheets  of  deep-blue  sea,  broken 
under  the  wind  with  jets  and  feathers  of  white,  towards  Patara, 
on  the  mainland,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Yellow  River,  the  seaport 
of  the  large  city  of  Xanthus,  the  capital  of  Lycia.  The  sandbanks 
at  the  entrance  were  dangerous  even  then,  and  the  river  has  since 
brought  down  such  floods  of  earth  that  the  port  into  which  they 
sailed  is  now  a  waste  of  dry  sand-hills.  But  they  found  a  thriv- 
ing city  there  with  thick  stone  walls,  guarded  by  a  strong  castle, 
a  theatre  for  the  people,  a  temple  of  Apollo  in  a  grove,  and  a 
triple  arch  over  the  main  city  gate.  The  ruins  are  still  standing, 
but  are  being  slowly  swallowed  up  by  M^aves  of  sand,  over  which 
the  palm  trees  spread  their  leaves  of  brilliant  green. 

The  ship  was  not  going  any  farther,  and  they  had  all  to  leave 
it ;  but  they  found  a  large  one  sailing  for  a  port  in  Palestine,  and 
they  went  into  it.  While  the  first  boat  was  good  enough  for  sail- 
ing among  islands,  it  was  not  large  enough  to  face  a  night-and- 
day  voyage  across  the  Mediterranean.  If  they  spent  a  Lord's  Day 
in  this  port  or  on  the  sea,  they  would  spend  it  in  conversation  to- 
gether, in  which  the  man  in  the  brown  cloak  round  whom  they 
moved  would  have  much  to  say. 

"Be  careful  how  you  live,  not  foolishly,  but  wisely,  using 
well  your  time,  because  the  days  are  evil.     Be  not  foolish,  but 


408      "WHY  WEEP  AND  BREAK  MY  HEART?" 

understand  well  what  is  the  will  of  God.  Be  not  drunken  with 
wine,  which  brings  riot,  but  be  filled  with  the  Spirit  of  Jesus; 
speaking  in  psalms,  hymns,  and  spiritual  songs,  singing  and  making 
melody  in  your  heart  to  God.  Always  give  thanks  to  God  the 
Father  for  everything,  in  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  the  Christ, 
and  give  way  one  to  another  in  the  fear  of  Him." 

And  that  night  they  had  to  sleep  under  the  creaking  sail,  with 
the  sound  of  beating,  hissing  water  in  their  ears,  as  the  boat  rose 
and  fell  on  the  dark  waves  of  the  sea.  Passing  in  daylight  the 
south  end  of  Cyprus,  the  home  of  Barnabas,  they  saw  the  white 
walls  of  Paphos,  and  the  temple  of  Venus  on  the  hill.  The  wind 
was  favourable,  and  they  swept  on  before  it ;  and  as  the  moun- 
tain ranges,  the  snow-white  crests,  the  belts  of  dark  trees  grew 
blurred  and  hazy  behind  them,  the  long  coast-line  of  Syria  and 
the  snow  peaks  of  Lebanon  rose  from  the  tossing  sea,  shaping 
into  bare  hills  and  wooded  valleys,  blue  with  distance. 

But  it  took  a  day  of  sunshine,  and  a  night  with  the  full 
moon  upon  the  sea,  before  they  had  crossed  over  from  Cyprus  to 
the  Syrian  coast  and  the  bold  headland  of  Carmel, 


*'Why  Weep  and   Break  My  Heart?" 

TYRE  :    AGED  50-60. 

THE  port  towards  which  the  ship  with  the  single  mast  and 
broad  white  sail  was  carrying  them  was  Tyre  in  Phoenicia, 
north  of  Palestine,  upon  an  island  very  near  the  land.  When 
Alexander  the  Great  could  not  capture  it,  he  put  stones  into  the 
sea,  and  built  a  wall  on  it  a  mile  long,  and  so  took  the  town. 
The  wall  was  made  wider  and  covered  with  flat  stones,  and 
formed  a  wharf ;  and  Paul's  ship  would  come  slowly  up  to  it,  and 
land  the  passengers  and  put  out  the  cargo  of  grain  and  oil,  wine 
and  wood,  while  other  ships  were  landing  hides,  bales,  and  bags 
for  the  merchants  of  the  rich  city.  Paul  knew  it  well,  and  easily 
found  the  Christians. 

He  told  them  of  his  long  journeys  since  they  last  saw  him,  seven 
years  ago,  and  that  he  was  going  to  Jerusalem,  and  of  his  fears  of 
capture.  They  knew  of  the  feeling  in  Jerusalem  against  him,  and 
told  him  solemnly  that  the  Spirit  of  God  bade  them  warn  him  not 
to  set  foot  in  that  city.  But  Paul  had  his  own  guiding  star,  and 
told  them  that  he  knew  great  danger  lay  before  him,  but  he  would 
not  so  back  because  of  it.    He  conversed  with  them  while  he  waited 


"WHY  WEEP  AND  BREAK  MY  HEART?"      409 

for  a  ship  to  take  him  on,  and  his  words  were  of  strengthening  and 
encouragement. 

"  By  revelation  was  this  mystery  made  known  to  me,  and  to 
the  holy  apostles  of  Jesus,  and  inspired  speakers,  that  foreigners 
are  fellow-heirs,  members,  and  sharers  with  Jews  in  the  promise 
of  Jesus  the  Christ  in  the  Bible ;  of  which  I  was  made  a  teacher, 
as  God  has  given  me  grace  and  power.  It  was  given  to  me,  who 
am  as  the  least  among  Christians,  to  preach  to  foreigners  the 
boundless  riches  of  Jesus,  and  make  all  men  understand  the 
mystery  that  was  hid  from  all  time  in  God,  the  creator  of  all 
things.  To  princes  and  powers  in  high  places  is  made  known 
through  us  the  wisdom  of  God,  according  to  His  everlasting 
purpose  in  Jesus  the  Christ,  through  whom  we  have  a  bold 
and  confident  way  to  God,  by  our  faith  in  Him.  Therefore  I 
ask  that  I  may  faint  not  at  my  trials  for  you,  which  are  your 
glory." 

It  was  now  the  beginning  of  May,  with  wild-flowers  withering 
in  the  grass,  and  the  blossom  of  the  olive  and  the  pomegranate 
trees  falling  in  showers  of  crimson  and  white,  for  the  sun  was 
hot ;  and  he  spent  a  week  there,  breaking  bread  at  their  solemn 
Sabbath  love  meal,  and  speaking  and  praying  with  them. 

"We  are  God's  ambassadors  for  Jesus,  and  as  if  God  were 
persuading  you  through  us,  we  beseech  you  on  behalf  of  Jesus  to 
be  reconciled  to  Him.  Jesus,  who  did  no  sin,  was  made  to  bear 
sin  for  us,  that  we  might  receive  the  righteousness  of  God  in  Him. 
I  entreat  you  not  to  reject  the  favour  of  God.  Isaiah  said.  At 
an  acceptable  time  I  listened  to  you,  and  in  a  day  of  salvation  I 
saved  you  :  now  is  that  acceptable  time,  and  now  is  that  day  of 
salvation. 

"  Do  not  offend  others  in  anything,  that  our  teaching  may  not 
be  blamed.  In  everything  we  make  ourselves  liked  as  teachers 
of  God,  by  our  much  patience,  in  afflictions,  scourgings,  imprison- 
ments, riots,  watchings,  fastings ;  and  in  pureness,  knowledge,  and 
forbearance,  and  in  kindness  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  love  of  the 
word  of  truth,  through  the  power  of  God.  For  we  have  the 
armour  of  righteousness  on  our  right  hand  and  on  our  left,  by 
glory  and  dishonour,  by  good  and  ill  report.  We  are  called 
deceivers,  yet  are  we  true ;  unknown,  and  yet  well  known ;  as 
dying,  and  yet  alive;  punished,  but  not  killed;  sorrowful,  but 
always  rejoicing;  poor,  yet  making  many  rich;  as  having  nothing, 
and  yet  we  possess  all  things." 

When  the  time  came  for  his  departure,  like  the  elders  of 
Ephesus,  his  friends  were  so  grieved  and  touched  with  his 
sorrowful  words   that  with  their  wives  and  little  children  they 


410      "WHY  WEEP  AND  BREAK  MY  HEART?" 

accompanied  him  from  their  meeting-place  through  the  city  gate 
and  down  to  the  shore ;  and  there,  kneeling  down  on  the  sand, 
they  all  prayed  together  that  he  might  be  kept  from  harm  in 
Jerusalem,  and  then  Paul  and  his  friends  went  into  the  ship. 

The  white  sail  was  shaken  out,  and  they  were  soon  in  the  open 
sea,  with  the  ship's  head  turned  southwards  along  the  coast  of 
Palestine,  with  the  fir-clad  ranges  of  Lebanon  rising  to  the  snowy 
peak  of  Hermon.  In  half  a  day  they  were  in  the  port  of 
Ptolemais,  now  called  Acre,  at  a  beautiful  sandy  bay,  over- 
shadowed by  the  wooded  headland  of  Carmel ;  and  while  the 
sailors  put  out  the  cargo,  Paul  spent  the  day  with  the  Christians 
on  shore,  conversing  with  them  and  strengthening  them. 

"You  are  not  ignorant,  brothers,  (for  I  speak  to  men  who 
know  the  Jewish  religious  law,)  that  a  man  is  bound  by  it  as  long 
as  he  lives.  But  by  the  death  of  Jesus  you  are  as  dead  to  this 
law,  that  you  may  be  joined  to  Him  who  was  raised  from  the 
dead,  and  bear  fruits  to  God.  For  when  we  were  under  the  law 
we  brought  forth  fruits  unto  death.  But  now  we  have  been  set 
free  from  the  law,  and  serve  not  in  the  oldness  of  the  letter,  but  in 
the  newness  of  the  Spirit." 

Next  morning  they  were  sailing  round  the  head  of  Carmel  and 
along  the  straight  coast;  and  as  they  kept  out,  the  hills  rose, 
wooded  and  dark  green,  towards  Samaria,  with  rocky  clefts,  and 
white  streams  coming  down  to  the  sea.  And  the  hearts  of  the 
voyagers  warmed  at  the  sight,  for  there  were  no  greater  patriots 
than  the  Jewish  pilgrims.  The  hills  receded,  and  the  beautiful 
plain  of  Sharon  spread  along  the  shore,  with  reapers  in  the  sun- 
shine of  the  yellow  fields  cutting  down  the  wheat  and  barley,  and 
carrying  it  away  on  heavily-laden  beasts  to  the  thrashing-floors. 

At  the  Poman  harbour  of  Csesarea,  so  well  known  to  Paul, 
they  all  left  the  ship.  Carrying  their  sacks  of  clothing,  rolls  of 
books,  and  the  leather  bags  of  money,  they  went  to  Philip's  house, 
the  teacher  who  for  twenty  years  had  been  living  there  with  his 
wife  and  grown-up  daughters,  who  all  helped  him.  Paul  was  now 
at  the  end  of  his  long  voyage,  but  the  pilgrim  ship  which  left 
Corinth  before  him  had  arrived  a  month  ago,  in  time  for  the 
Passover.  It  had  brought  the  men  to  Jerusalem  who  plotted 
at  Corinth  to  kill  him,  and  they  spread  the  news  of  what  he 
was  saying  and  doing  in  foreign  cities,  and  that  he  was  coming 
to  Jerusalem  and  the  temple.  But  he  was  too  soon  for  the 
festival  of  Pentecost,  and  strayed  with  Philip  for  some  days, 
meeting  the  Christians  there;  and  he  had  a  wonderful  story  to 
tell  them  of  wanderings  and  adventures,  and  of  open  doors  in 
strange  lands. 


"WHY  WEEP  AND  BREAK  MY  HEART?"      411 

"  By  the  Jews  I  was  five  times  scourged.  I  was  three  times 
beaten  with  Roman  rods,  once  stoned,  three  times  shipwrecked, 
floating  for  a  night  and  a  day  in  the  sea.  I  have  been  often  in 
journeyings,  and  often  in  perils  from  rioters,  robbers,  my  own 
countrymen,  and  foreigners,  in  the  city,  in  the  lonely  country,  and 
on  the  sea,  and  among  false  Christians ;  often  in  toil  and  travel 
and  watching,  in  hunger  and  thirst,  in  fasting  and  cold  and  naked- 
ness. And  besides  all  these  there  is  that  wliich  presses  daily 
upon  me,  anxiety  for  all  the  congregations.  Who  is  weak,  and  I 
am  not?  who  stumbles,  and  I  am  not  sorry?  If  I  must  glorv, 
let  it  be  of  my  weakness;  but  I  speak  the  truth.  At  Damascus 
the  city  governor  under  King  Aretas  guarded  the  gates  in  order 
to  take  me ;  but  through  a  window  in  the  wall  I  was  let  down  in 
a  basket,  and  escaped." 

When  his  friends  heard  that  he  had  come  to  attend  the  festival 
in  Jerusalem,  knowing  the  feeling  against  him  there,  they  begged 
him  not  to  go.  There  were  people  coming  and  going  every  day 
with  fresh  news ;  and  one  day  Agabus,  a  leading  Christian,  came 
from  Jerusalem — perhaps  the  same  man  who  knew  Paul  in  Antioch. 
He  knew  what  was  the  feeling  about  Paul  in  the  city,  and  he  said 
that  the  Spirit  of  God  sent  him  to  warn  Paul  not  to  go.  And 
to  make  his  warning  impressive,  unloosing  the  long  linen  girdle 
from  Paul's  waist,  he  bent  down  and  tied  his  own  feet  and 
hands,  and  while  their  friends  looked  on  in  silence  at  this  strange 
act,  he  solemnly  said, — 

"Thus  says  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  Thus  shall  the  Jews  of 
Jerusalem  bind  the  man  who  owns  this  girdle,  and  give  him  up  to 
the  Romans." 

And  when  they  heard  it,  not  only  they  of  Csesarea,  but  Timothy 
and  Luke,  and  all  who  sailed  with  him,  besought  Paul  not  to  go 
any  farther.  But  their  words  only  grieved  him,  for  nothing  would 
turn  him  from  his  purpose.  Prophets  might  speak,  women  might 
pray,  men  might  warn,  but  a  voice  within  bade  him  go. 

"Why  do  you  weep,"  he  exclaimed  in  a  sorrowful  voice,  "and 
break  my  heart  ?  I  am  ready,  not  only  to  be  bound,  but  to  die  at 
Jerusalem,  for  Jesus'  sake." 

But  this  fervent  reply  did  not  at  once  silence  his  friends.  It 
was  not  until  they  found  that  all  their  words  and  tears  were  as 
waves  upon  the  rock  that  they  said  to  one  another,  "  The  will  of 
God  be  done." 


412  ZEALOTS    AND    DAGGER    MEN. 

Zealots  and   Dagger  Men. 

C^SAREA:     AGED    50-60. 

WHY  were  the  good  Christians  of  Csesarea  afraid  to  let 
Paul  go  inside  the  walls  of  Jerusalem?  Why  was  he 
also  so  afraid  that  he  asked  the  prayers  of  congregations  for 
his  safety? 

He  had  many  enemies  in  that  city — the  priests  of  the  temple, 
the  rabbis  of  the  porches,  the  members  of  the  Sanhedrim,  and 
the  Zealots  of  the  old  religion,  who  thought  he  deserved  death 
for  leaving  them  and  offering  the  kingdom  of  God  to  foreigners. 
There  were  also  the  Jewish  Christians,  who  thought  that  all  Chris- 
tians should  keep  the  traditions  and  customs  of  the  old  Jewish 
law,  and  that  he  was  a  traitor  for  teaching  foreigners  that  they 
did  not  need  to  be  circumcised,  and  tliat  lie  deserved  to  be  put 
out  of  the  congregation.  There  were  tliousands  of  such  Chris- 
tians in  Jerusalem,  and  many  of  them  v/ere  Zealots ;  but  of  men 
like  Peter,  who  believed  Paul  was  right,  there  were  not  many. 
He  would  thus  be  surrounded  with  enemies. 

The  city  was  also  in  a  very  disturbed  state.  Felix,  the  wicked 
Poman  governor  of  Judea,  had  been  a  slave,  and  was  a  cruel  man. 
His  return  to  the  high  priest  Jonathan  for  getting  him  made 
governor  was  to  bribe  Doras  and  his  conspirators  to  murder  him 
with  concealed  daggers.  Bands  of  Zealots  roamed  about  the 
country,  fighting  with  the  Roman  soldiers,  and  their  secret  society 
of  dagger  men  stabbed  their  victims,  so  that  murder  in  the  streets 
was  not  uncommon.  An  Egyptian  led  some  thousands  to  the  top 
of  Olivet,  saying  he  was  the  Messiah,  and  would  take  the  city, 
and  live  in  the  temple ;  but  Felix  had  soldiers  in  the  Kedron  vale, 
who  stormed  the  hill,  and  the  prisoners  were  crucified  on  crosses 
along  the  sides  of  the  roads  into  the  city,  as  a  warning.  These 
desperate  dagger  men,  zealous  for  the  law,  sold  their  services 
sometimes  to  the  high  priest,  sometimes  to  Felix,  killing  for  pay ; 
and  Paul  knew  that  they  would  turn  their  daggers  on  him  if  roused. 
And  as  the  city  was  crowded  for  the  festival  at  the  close  of  the 
barley  harvest,  the  danger  of  lawlessness  and  bloodshed  was  very 
great. 

His  friends  would  not  desert  him,  and  horses  were  got  for 
the  travellers'  baggage,  and  they  started  to  climb  the  hills  by  the 
soldiers'  paved  road.  There  was  a  pretty  large  company,  counting 
the  foreign -looking  men  with  the  money  from  the  provinces, 
Luke  and  Timothy,  and  the  friends  from  Csesarea.     And  an  old 


ZEALOTS   AND    DAGGER   MEN.  413 

man  of  Cyprus,  called  Mnason,  went  up  with  them,  saying  they 
must  stay  in  his  house.  Each  evening  would  find  the  open  door 
of  some  Christian,  glad  to  take  them  in  ;  and  after  three  days  Paul 
rode  once  more  through  the  dark  arch  of  the  city  gate  which  he 
had  been  so  often  warned  not  to  enter,  and  through  the  familiar 
streets,  where  every  door  and  window  had  its  spray  of  bright 
palm  or  pale  willow,  with  flowers  of  yellow  and  white,  crimson 
and  blue,  tied  in  fading  garlands  round  bundles  of  ripe  grain,  in 
token  of  the  harvest  festival.  The  streets  were  crowded  with 
people  keeping  holiday.  On  such  a  day,  and  amid  such  scenes, 
his  Master  rode  in  by  Stephen's  gate,  now  almost  thirty  years  ago. 
Did  he  think  of  Jesus  as  he  rode  under  that  dark  archway  1  For 
he  also  was  riding  into  danger  in  Jerusalem,  perhaps  to  death, 
and  he  knew  it. 

He  sought  no  Jews'  quarter  of  the  great  city,  for  all  were 
Jews,  and  every  house  a  Jew's  home.  Mnason  was  well  ofi",  and 
received  them  all,  so  that  we  must  not  think  of  Paul  as  living 
in  a  small  room,  but  in  a  house  surrounded  with  a  high  wall, 
entered  by  a  low  door  that  looked  into  a  sunny  court  shaded 
with  green  trees,  and  bright  with  creeping  flowers  that  hung 
from  the  balconies  of  the  low  vine-covered  houses ;  and  when 
the  outer  door  to  the  street  was  shut,  all  would  be  quiet  and 
private  within.  Surrounded  by  true  friends,  who  had  come  up 
with  him,  and  others  gathered  in  from  the  city  without,  who 
rejoiced  to  see  him  back  again,  there  was  peace  within  these 
walls,  but  beyond  was  doubt. 

The  next  day  would  be  one  of  trial.  The  licHi-hearted  traveller, 
the  tender  teacher,  whose  hand  had  knocked  at  so  many  doors, 
who  had  carried  the  torch  of  Jesus  into  so  many  homes,  cities, 
and  lands,  was  to  appear  before  the  elders  of  the  Christians  of  Jeru- 
salem, to  tell  them  what  he  had  been  doing  since  last  they  saw 
him,  and  learn  if  they  were  satisfied.  Men  had  followed  him  out 
from  Jerusalem,  seeking  to  spoil  his  life-work,  and  he  had  whipped 
them  back  like  curs.  He  had  promised  to  gather  money,  and  had 
brought  a  large  sum;  yet  he  did  not  know  how  he  would  be 
welcomed,  and  was  keenly  anxious  to  be  received  well.  Would 
James  the  eider  kiss  him  on  each  cheek,  and  weep  tears  of  joy  on 
his  neck  1  Would  Peter  the  warm-hearted  be  there,  and  Barnabas, 
his  old  friend?  He  dreaded  the  meeting,  but  not  for  his  own 
sake. 

White  sunshine  filled  the  quiet  courtyard  of  Mnason's  house, 
where  children  ran  and  doves  fluttered,  as  Paul  and  his  friends, 
sitting  in  the  shadow  of  the  trees,  ate  their  morning  meal  of 
cakes  and  sweet  goats'  milk  before  going  to  the  meeting  with 


414  THE    MONEY    HE   GATHERED. 

the  leading  Christians,  where  they  were  to  present  the  money,  and 
he  was  to  tell  the  story  of  his  four  years'  work.  When  they  went 
to  the  meeting-place,  James,  the  brother  of  Jesus,  was  there  in 
his  spotless  white  robe,  with  the  long,  grey  hair  of  a  Nazarite 
curling  on  his  shoulders,  and  with  other  elders  round  him  who 
had  been  gathered  together,  but  none  of  the  apostles.  We  do 
not  know  the  names  of  these  elders,  but  Philip,  Prochorus, 
Nicanor,  Timon,  Parmenas,  and  Nicolas  would  be  there,  for 
they  had  charge  of  the  poor.  When  Paul  and  his  friends 
came  in,  there  would  be  a  goodly  number— Luke  of  Philippi, 
Timothy  of  Lystra,  Sopater  of  Berea,  Aristarchus  and  Secundus 
of  Thessalonica,  Gains  of  Derbe,  Tychicus  and  Trophimus  of 
Ephesus,  all  foreigners  and  all  Christians  from  far-off  cities,  the 
fruit  of  his  toil  in  many  lands  and  under  many  skies — ^bringing 
money  to  the  Christians  of  Jerusalem. 


The  Money  He  Gathered. 

JERUSALEM  :     AGED    50-60. 

PAUL  saluted  James  and  the  elders  in  grave  Jewish  fashion, 
and  told  them  his  wonderful  story.  Sailing  to  Antioch 
four  years  ago,  he  had  travelled  over  the  Syrian  gates  to  Tarsus ; 
and  again  over  the  Taurus  Mountains  into  Galatia,  visiting  the 
towns  of  Derbe,  Lystra,  Iconium,  and  Pisidian  Antioch ;  thence 
through  the  wild  highlands  of  Asia  to  Ephesus,  and  on  to  Troy. 
From  Troy  in  Asia  he  had  sailed  to  Neapolis  in  Macedonia, 
and  on  to  Philippi,  Amphipolis,  Apollonia,  and  Thessalonica,  and 
thence  to  far  Illyricum.  Next  came  Berea  and  Dium  in  Greece, 
whence  he  went  by  ship  to  Corinth,  returning  thence  by  Philippi, 
Ephesus,  Troy,  Miletus,  Rhodes,  and  many  other  towns  and 
islands. 

Like  God's  husbandman,  he  had  sown  the  seed  of  the  gospel 
over  five  vast  Roman  provinces — the  whole  of  Judea  could  go 
into  one  of  their  valleys — and  over  more  cities  and  towns  than 
he  had  time  to  name ;  he  had  found  these  foreign  peoples  willing 
to  listen  to  the  gospel,  and  leave  their  idols,  and  turn  to  the  living 
God,  through  faith  in  Jesus.  Of  his  dangers  and  adventures  he 
would  not  say  much,  but  would  tell  of  the  kind  feeling  which 
all  these  foreign  Christians  had  towards  them  at  Jerusalem ;  and 
in  proof  of  the  sincerity  of  these  men  of  strange  lands,  he  would 
present  the  money  that  had  been  gathered  week  by  week  for 


THE    MONEY    HE    GATHERED.  415 

years,  and  whicli  he  promised  to  collect.  Then  would  come  a 
proud  moment  for  the  men  of  Asia,  Macedonia,  and  Galatia, 
as  they  brouglit  forward  their  leather  money-bags,  and  Paul 
explained  that  they  had  been  sent  all  the  way  to  present  these 
collections  to  the  poor  brothers  of  Jerusalem. 

He  told  how  he  taught  these  foreigners  that  to  worship  the 
living  God  and  have  faith  in  Jesus  was  ail  that  was  required  of 
them,  and  that  they  must  change,  and  live  the  higher  life  as 
seen  in  Jesus.  He  must  have  spoken  for  a  long  time;  but  we 
have  no  record  of  what  he  said,  although  we  would  like  to 
read  his  very  words  at  this  great  meeting,  which  was  to  be  the 
close  of  all  his  free  journeyings.  When  he  ended  his  wonderful 
narrative,  the  like  of  which  had  never  been  heard  before — Corinth, 
Ephesus,  Troy,  Philippi  receiving  the  gospel  with  joy — it  was 
almost  beyond  belief  to  elders  who  had  never  been  out  of  Judea ; 
and  they  exclaimed,  "Glory  be  to  God."  But  they  did  not 
weep  or  fall  upon  the  neck  of  the  man  in  the  brown  cloak,  who 
stood  anxiously  and  even  humbly  before  them.  And  he  had  said 
he  was  going  next  to  Rome  and  then  to  Spain ! 

Glorious  as  was  his  report,  there  was  something  in  it  that 
roused  the  slumbering  difference  between  his  broad,  free  mind 
and  the  narrow  spirit  of  the  Jerusalem  Christians,  of  whom  James 
was  the  head.  Strange  stories  had  reached  the  ears  of  the  elders, 
as  they  went  through  the  narrow  streets  of  Jerusalem  from  their 
homes  to  the  temple  and  back  again  every  day,  while  he  was 
crossing  seas  and  mountains,  and  going  from  door  to  door  in  the 
streets  of  foreign  cities — strange  stories  of  what  he  taught.  It 
was  with  some  uneasiness  that  they  heard  from  his  own  lips 
that  there  was  no  difference  in  the  sight  of  God  between  a  Jew 
and  a  foreigner,  and  that  a  foreign  Christian  who  kept  not  the 
Jewish  law  was  as  good  as  a  Jewish  Christian  who  did. 

James,  as  chairman,  had  to  speak  the  mind  of  the  elders  upon 
Paul's  report,  and  to  acknowledge  the  money  from  the  far-away 
foreign  Christians,  and  what  he  said  reads  as  if  there  had  been 
a  discussion,  of  which  it  is  only  a  part.  There  had  been  some 
remonstrance  with  Paul,  in  which  his  and  their  position  had  been 
explained. 

"You  see,  brother,"  James  said,  "how  many  thousands  there 
are  of  Christian  Jews  in  this  city,  and  they  are  all  zealous  for  the 
religious  law."  It  must  have  startled  Paul  to  learn  that  almost 
all  the  Jewish  converts  to  Christianity  about  Jerusalem  had 
become  Zealots,  growing  narrower  as  he  grew  broader.  He  had 
next  to  learn  that  there  were  spies  at  work,  and  that  he  was  marked. 
The  pilgrim  ship  of  enemies  from  Corinth  had  not  arrived  in  vain. 


416  THE   MONEY   HE   GATHERED. 

*'  They  have  been  told  about  you,  that  you  teach  all  the  Jews 
who  live  in  foreign  cities  to  forsake  the  commands  of  Moses,  telling 
them  not  to  circumcise  their  children,  and  not  to  keep  the  re- 
ligious customs  of  our  people."  But  the  informers  had  not  kept 
to  the  truth,  for  we  have  not  seen  him  teaching  his  countrymen 
to  give  up  their  own  religious  customs.  They  could  keep  them 
if  they  liked.  What  he  said  was  that  they  could  never  become 
righteous  by  these  things  alone.  They  must  believe  in  Jesus  and 
follow  Him.  But  to  foreigners,  who  knew  nothing  of  Moses  or 
of  the  religious  customs  of  the  Jews,  he  said  that  they  need  not 
learn  them.  God  and  Jesus  were  enough  for  them.  James  also 
explained  to  him  the  great  danger  he  was  in  from  these  Christian 
Zealots. 

"  What  then  is  the  position  ?  They  will  certainly  hear  that 
you  are  in  the  city."  That  was  all  he  needed  to  say.  Paul 
knew  the  rest.  To  be  accused  to  these  men  of  speaking  against 
the  laws  and  customs  of  Moses  meant  violence,  and  j)erhaps 
death.     What  should  he  do  ?     James  had  a  proposal  to  make, — 

"  Do,  therefore,  this  that  we  say  to  you.  We  have  four  poor 
men  amongst  us  who  have  taken  the  vow  of  Nazarites.  Take 
them  and  go  with  them  to  the  temple,  and  purify  yourself  as 
the  law  requires,  and  pay  their  expenses  of  sacrifices  and  gifts 
to  the  priests,  so  that  they  may  be  allowed  to  keep  their  vows 
and  get  their  heads  shaven.  And  so  all  the  Zealots  will  know 
that  there  is  no  truth  in  the  things  which  they  have  been  told 
about  you,  for  they  will  see  that  you  live  orderly,  and  keep  the 
religious  law." 

This  was  proposed  for  Paul's  safety,  but  it  was  also  a  test. 
Was  he  willing  to  make  a  public  show  before  the  Christian 
Zealots  of  his  obedience  to  the  traditions  and  customs  which  he 
knew  so  well  1  Paul  knew  that  he  would  have  to  live  for  a  week 
in  a  room  of  the  temple,  with  these  four  men  in  rags,  and  pay  for 
the  four  rams,  the  eight  lambs,  the  cakes,  the  oil,  for  sacrifices,  and 
give  gifts  of  money  to  the  priests,  and  stand  beside  them  while 
their  long  hair  was  cut  off  and  burned.  Would  he  do  it?  It 
would  be  looked  upon  as  a  specially  religious  and  good  thing  to 
help  these  poor  men  to  keep  their  vow.  While  Paul  thought, 
James  continued  to  speak, — 

"About  foreigners  who  become  Christians  we  wrote  before, 
deciding  that  all  they  need  do  about  our  Jewish  customs  was 
not  to  eat  anything  that  had  been  offered  before  an  idol,  nor 
any  meat  that  had  been  strangled  or  had  blood  in  it,  and  as  to 
their  marriages." 

Paul  listened  with  mingled  feelings,  for  he  himself  had  also 


"MEN    OF    ISKAEL,    HELP!"  417 

written  letters  to  foreign  Christians,  in  which  he  told  them  they 
could  eat  or  not  as  they  pleased,  for  meat  could  do  no  one  any 
harm.  Jesus  said  so.  But  he  wished  to  avoid  disputes  with  the 
elders.  They  had  their  Jewish  ideas  of  Christianity.  He  had  the 
mind  of  Jesus,  and  until  they  visited  foreign  cities,  as  he  had  done, 
they  would  never  understand  it.  These  rules  and  customs  were 
barriers  to  a  foreigner,  but  to  a  Jew  they  were  only  harassing 
and  troublesome,  and  if  he  had  faith  in  Jesus  and  not  in  them, 
they  would  do  him  no  harm.  To  him  they  were  not  religion,  but 
only  the  peculiar  forms  and  customs  of  the  people.  To  keep  them 
would  not  matter ;  to  break  them  in  Jerusalem  would  enrage  the 
Zealots :  and  if  it  would  reconcile  thousands  of  Christians  to  him, 
keep  them  he  would  while  there.  We  cannot  but  pity  Paul,  coming 
like  an  eagle  from  the  heights  of  freedom,  to  sit  cooped  in  a 
chamber  of  the  temple,  bound  with  useless  ceremonial  bands, 
and  we  might  have  wished  that  the  elders  had  not  put  him  to 
this  trial.  It  went  against  his  feelings,  but  it  did  not  touch  his 
conscience,  for  it  did  not  affect  the  truth  that  faith  in  Jesus  was 
the  only  way  to  salvation.  And  so  he  agreed.  But,  alas  for 
the  plans  of  the  elders,  the  very  thing  which  was  intended  for 
Paul's  safety  was  what  brought  him  into  danger. 


*'  Men   of   Israel,    help !  '* 

JERUSALEM:   AGED   50-60. 

THE  olive  trees  on  Olivet  had  blossomed  into  fragrance,  to  fade 
and  cover  the  ground  thick  as  snow  with  falling  white;  the 
oleander  bushes  by  the  brook  Kedron  had  burned  with  crimson, 
to  dazzle  in  the  sunshine  and  vanish  away ;  but  in  the  king's 
gardens  lilies  of  pale  white  and  gold  gleamed  in  the  sun,  fed  by 
the  sweet  waters  of  Siloam,  as  Paul  looked  down  once  more  from 
the  pillars  of  Solomon's  porch,  and  across  the  valley  to  the  ancient 
cedars  on  the  top  of  the  hill. 

It  was  not  without  misgiving  that  he  agreed  to  the  proposal 
of  James,  but  he  lost  no  time  in  carrying  it  out  on  the  very  next 
day  after  the  elders'  meeting.  The  Nazarite  vow  was  as  old  as 
the  days  of  Samson.  It  meant  separation  to  God,  and  a  man 
might  take  it  for  any  time  by  merely  saying,  *'I  will  be  one," 
and  only  the  priests  could  set  him  free.  And  the  four  poor  men 
were  very  glad  to  hear  that  Paul  would  pay  for  them,  and  enable 
them  to  get  out  of  their  vow.  But  he  had  something  else  to  do 
(1,040)  27 


418  "MEN    OF    ISRAEL,    HELP  !  ** 

first.  Having  eaten  and  lived  with  foreigners  for  years,  according 
to  the  Jewish  religious  law  he  was  impure,  and  had  to  go  through 
certain  ceremonies  which  he  knew  well,  before  he  could  join  with 
the  men  in  going  into  the  temple.  After  this  was  over,  he  went 
with  the  four  poor  men  to  the  priest  at  the  corner  of  the  women's 
court,  and  told  him  that  he  wished  to  join  with  them  and  pay 
their  charges ;  and  the  priest  would  praise  his  goodness. 

For  seven  days  he  was  to  attend  at  the  temple,  while  the  four 
men  presented  their  offerings  of  ram,  lamb,  cakes,  oil,  and  money. 
Not  till  the  seventh  and  last  day  would  they  be  allowed  to 
go  to  the  ISTazarites'  room  at  the  corner  of  the  women's  court, 
cut  off  their  long  hair,  burn  it,  and  be  free.  But  Paul  would  not 
see  the  end  of  the  week  in  peace.  His  act  of  obedience  was  to  be 
of  no  avail,  for  his  frequent  goings  to  the  temple  with  strange  men 
were  noticed  by  the  Jews  from  the  synagogues  of  foreign  cities 
in  which  he  had  disputed. 

Four — perhaps  six — days  of  the  week  had  gone  by,  and  Paul's 
ceremonial  purity,  which  was  intended  to  be  known,  seen,  and 
talked  about  by  the  Zealots,  had  been  well  observed.  But  it  had 
not  the  effect  which  James  and  the  elders  intended.  These  spies 
thought  he  had  no  business  in  the  temple,  and  watched  him  there 
with  the  four  poor  Nazarites,  and  down  in  the  narrow  streets  of 
.'^'^  city  with  the  foreigners  whom  he  had  brought  with  him. 
Tro[>himus,  from  Ephesus,  they  specially  noted.  His  whole  move- 
ments roused  their  keen  suspicion.  They  did  not  believe  he  was 
zealous  for  the  law,  and  watched  him  as  he  went  about  the 
outer  court  with  the  four  poor  Jews.  Unconscious  of  danger, 
with  naked  feet  on  the  hot,  sunny  pavements,  Paul  went  through 
the  opening  in  the  white  marble  balustrade,  past  which  it  was 
death  for  any  but  Jews  to  go,  and  his  enemies  saw  him  going 
across  the  black  and  white  pavement  to  the  court  above. 

Their  enemy  was  now  in  their  power,  and  led  on  by  Jews 
from  Ephesus,  they  surrounded  him,  shouting  in  shrill,  wild 
voices  that  could  be  heard  over  the  courts,  "Men  of  Israel, 
help  !  help  !  help ! "  The  people  came  running  down  the  white 
steps,  and  out  from  among  the  pillars,  porches,  and  side  arches, 
and  soon  there  was  a  dense  crowd  as  the  men  continued  shouting, 
*'  This  is  the  man  who  speaks  everywhere  to  all  men  against  the 
Jews,  and  against  our  law,  and  against  this  temple."  That  was 
enough  to  set  all  who  heard  it  mad  with  rage,  and  ready  to  tear 
Paul  in  pieces,  as  a  blasphemer. 

"Besides,"  they  continued,  "he  has  brought  Greeks  into  the 
temple,  and  polluted  this  holy  place."  They  thought  he  had 
brought  in  Trophimus.     The  shrill  cry  of  "  The  temple  defiled ! 


"MEN    OF    ISRAEL,    HELP!"  419 

the  temple  defiled  ! "  was  the  best  of  all  cries  to  rouse  the  people. 
It  passed  in  screams  of  rage  from  court  to  court,  out  through  the 
temple  doors,  into  the  streets  of  the  city,  and  the  people  came 
running  in.  Paul  resisted,  telling  them  he  was  innocent ;  but  the 
crowd  increased,  and  many  hands  seized  him.  They  would  drag 
him  out  of  the  Jews'  court,  for  they  must  not  stain  its  pavement 
with  his  blood,  or  the  temple  would  be  defiled  indeed.  He  resisted, 
but  they  dragged  him  from  the  women's  court,  through  the  coloured 
pillars  and  the  gates  of  shining  brass,  and  down  the  marble  steps 
into  the  lower  court.  The  Levites  were  ready,  and  as  he  passed, 
the  rumble  of  the  great  gates  told  that  they  were  being  closed 
behind  him.  For  the  Romans  had  said  that  if  there  was  rioting 
in  the  temple,  they  would  shut  it  up. 

Beating  and  bufieting  him,  he  was  thrust  through  the  white 
marble  screen,  and  dragged  towards  the  outer  gate  at  the  north- 
west corner.  "  Death  to  him  !"  was  the  cry.  But  how  1  The  Jews 
disliked  killing  criminals  with  swords.  Hanging,  stoning,  beating 
to  death  with  clubs  was  more  to  their  mind.  He  was  now  in  the 
hands  of  a  mob,  the  most  cruel  of  all  hands.  Some  had  no  idea 
what  it  was  all  about ;  others  knew,  but  would  not  say.  Where, 
when,  and  how  were  they  to  kill  him  1  And  some  thought  that 
to  kill  a  man  without  trial  would  bring  terrible  punishment  from 
Lysias,  the  Roman  captain. 

But  they  were  being  watched.  High  up  on  the  flat  roof  of  the 
cloisters  that  went  all  round  the  outer  temple  court  were  figures 
standing  motionless,  with  sunlight  gleaming  on  their  brass  armour 
— the  figures  of  Roman  soldiers,  set  tiiere  to  watch  what  went  on 
in  tlie  courts  below,  and  whose  duty  it  was  to  give  th§  alarm  if 
there  was  any  rioting  amongst  the  Jews  at  the  festival.  The  cries 
of  the  mob  i3elow  were  too  shrill  for  them  to  hear  the  voices  of 
these  grim  soldiers  on  the  wall,  calling  from  man  to  man,  until 
word  reached  the  castle  of  Antonia  that  a  man  was  being  killed 
below.  The  Roman  guard  was  always  ready,  and  at  a  word  they 
were  running,  spear  and  sword  in  hand,  along  the  dark  passage, 
and  down  the  steps  into  the  outer  court.  A  cry  broke  from  the 
crowd  that  the  soldiers  were  coming,  and  that  was  enough  to 
scare  the  wildest,  and  stop  the  blows  that  were  falling  upon  Paul. 

Pushing  the  people  aside  with  their  pikes,  and  striking  them  on 
head  and  shoulders  with  the  flat  of  their  swords,  the  soldiers  forced 
their  way  forward,  and  knocking  aside  his  assailants,  they  cleared 
a  space  round  Paul ;  and  the  captain,  with  embossed  breastplate 
and  fierce-looking  helmet,  went  forward  and  laid  his  hand  on  Paul's 
shoulder,  which  was  the  Roman  sign  that  no  other  hand  must 
touch  him.      In  an  instant  Roman  handcufis  were  on  his  wrists, 


420  THE    HAND    OF    LYSIAS. 

fastened  with  light  brass  chains  to  the  wrists  of  two  soldiers, 
whose  duty  was  to  die  rather  than  let  him  escape  or  be  harmed, 
for  he  was  a  Roman  prisoner.  Turning  to  the  surging  crowd  that 
pressed  upon  them,  Lysias  demanded, — 

"  Who  is  this  ? "  A  yell  from  hundreds  of  excited  throats  was 
the  answer. 

"  What  has  he  done  1 "  he  asked.  Again  there  were  fierce 
shrieks  and  yells  of  many  things,  but  in  the  confusion  he  could 
not  make  out  what  they  said.  He  hated  their  Jewish  shrieks  and 
despised  their  religious  squabbles,  which  no  Roman  could  under- 
stand. "  To  the  castle  " — with  a  sign  of  his  hand  to  his  men  to 
take  Paul  away. 

Forming  a  guard  round  him,  they  began  to  move  leisurely 
towards  the  stairs.  Seeing  their  backs  turned,  the  crowd  grew 
bolder,  pressing  upon  them,  shouting,  jeering,  yelling  at  Paul, 
until  when  they  had  got  to  the  steps  the  soldiers  had  to  lift  him 
off  his  feet  and  carry  him.  From  the  cries  as  they  went  along, 
Lysias  thought  he  had  got  the  Egyptian  rioter  who  pretended  to 
be  the  Messiah  and  had  escaped  when  his  followers  were  slain. 


The   Hand   of   LysiaSi 

JERUSALEM  :    AGED  50-60. 

DID  Paul  remember  Jesus  when  the  cry  pierced  his  ears,  "Away 
with  him  !  away  with  him  ! "  as  his  enraged  countrymen  saw 
him  bein^  helped  up  the  open  stair  of  the  grey  castle  of  Antonia  ? 
Lysias  was  astonished  when  the  prisoner  said  to  him  in  Greek, — 

"  May  I  say  something  to  you  ? "  They  were  about  to  go  into 
the  doorway. 

"Do  you  know  Greek?"  he  asked  in  astonishment.  "Are 
you  not  the  Egyptian  who  got  up  a  sedition  against  Rome  some 
time  ago,  and  led  out  four  thousand  of  the  dagger  men  into  the 
wild  country  1 "     He  stopped  the  soldiers,  and  Paul  replied, — 

"  I  am  a  Jew  of  Tarsus,  in  Cilicia :  a  citizen  of  no  mean  city. 
I  beg  of  you  give  me  leave  to  speak  to  the  people." 

Paul  trusted  in  the  fairness  of  this  Roman  officer,  and  believed 
he  could  quiet  his  countrymen.  Lysias,  thinking  that  the  crowd, 
when  they  heard  he  was  no  rioter,  but  a  brother  Jew  of  good 
position,  and  in  the  temple  on  proper  business,  would  go  away 
quietly,  gave  him  leave  to  speak  from  the  stairs  to  the  people 
who  were  standing  below  in  the  sunshine  wondering  why  Paul 
was  not  being  taken  in.     But  they  were  soon  to  know. 


THE    HAND    OF   LYSIAS.  421 

With  naked  feet,  his  brown  cloak  torn  from  his  shoulders,  his 
kerchief  snatched  .from  his  head,  his  grey  hair  disordered  upon  his 
brow,  and  in  a  tunic  soiled  and  ragged  with  the  wrenches  of  many 
angry  hands,  Paul  stood  with  a  background  of  Roman  pikes  and 
bucklers,  beckoning  with  his  hand  to  the  people  below.  His  eyes 
burned  as  he  looked  down  on  them,  seeing  here  a  rabbi  in  flow- 
ing robes,  there  a  Pharisee  in  spotless  white,  there  a  well-fed 
Sadducee,  and  everywhere  turbans  and  kerchiefs  of  red  and  yel- 
low and  green,  cloaks  of  blue  and  brown  and  black,  the  robes  and 
the  rags  of  all  kinds  of  men  that  made  up  a  temple  crowd.  To 
many  of  them  he  was  well  known,  although  his  face  was  swarthy 
with  exposure,  and  his  head  bruised  and  perhaps  bleeding;  and 
he  knew  not  a  few  of  the  scowling  faces  looking  up  at  him. 
Gradually  their  shrieks  and  yells  subsided  as  he  kept  his  un- 
chained hand  upraised.  They  were  curious  to  know  what  he  wished 
to  say.     The  silence  came,  and  the  practised  speaker  was  ready. 

"  Brothers  and  fathers,  listen  to  me." 

They  were  electrified.  They  expected  Greek,  and  he  spoke 
Hebrew.  Now  they  were  all  eager  to  hear  him,  and  became 
quieter. 

"  I  am  a  Jew,"  he  continued,  "  born  in  Tarsus,  of  Cilicia.  But 
I  was  brought  up  in  this  city,  in  the  school  of  Gamaliel,  in  the 
strict  manner  of  the  religious  law  of  our  fathers,  zealous  for  God, 
as  you  all  are  this  day."  If  they  were  zealous,  so  was  he.  He 
knew,  as  a  skilful  speaker,  that  if  they  were  to  listen,  he  must 
begin  with  things  they  liked  to  hear. 

"  I  persecuted  to  death  the  followers  of  Jesus,  who  said  His 
gospel  was  the  true  way,  binding  both  men  and  women,  and  put- 
ting them  into  prison.  The  high  priest  and  the  Sanhedrim  know 
that  I  speak  the  truth ;  for  they  gave  me  letters  to  our  country- 
men at  Damascus,  and  I  rode  thither  to  bring  Christians  bound 
to  Jerusalem  to  be  punished."  He  then  told  them  of  the  light 
that  shone  round  about  him  on  the  road,  and  of  the  voice  and  the 
vision,  and  of  his  meeting  with  Ananias,  who,  he  explained,  was 
"  a  good  man  according  to  their  religious  law,  and  well  spoken  of 
by  all  the  Jews  in  Damascus,"  who  bade  him  go  and  tell  all  men 
what  he  had  seen  and  heard. 

The  people  continued  listening,  for  his  story  was  a  stirring 
one,  and  they  liked  to  hear  of  visions  and  voices  from  God.  Pass- 
ing over  twelve  years,  he  told  them  of  his  vision  in  the  temple, 
and  of  Jesus  telling  him  to  leave  Jerusalem  and  teach  elsewhere. 
But  he  was  touching  on  delicate  ground,  for  the  people  hated 
him  for  preaching  to  foreigners.  He  was  going  to  defend  himself 
now. 


422  THE   HAND   OF   LYSIAS. 

"And  I  said,  Lord,  they  know  in  Jerusalem  how  I  went  to 
every  synagogue  and  sought  out  every  one  that  believed  in  Jesus, 
and  had  them  put  into  prison  and  beaten.  When  Stephen  was 
stoned,  I  was  standing  by  consenting,  and  holding  the  clothes  of 
them  who  stoned  him.  And  Jesus  said  to  me,  Go:  for  I  will  send 
you  far  out  to  foreign  nations." 

Suddenly  a  shrill  yell  of  rage  came  from  the  leaders  below, 
followed  by  a  volley  from  the  crowd, — 

"  Away  with  such  a  fellow  from  the  earth  !  Away  with  him  ! 
away  with  him  !  away  with  him  ! " 

They  had  heard  with  growing  impatience  the  story  of  his 
conversation  with  Jesus,  and  they  would  listen  no  longer.  Jesus ! 
There  were  men  in  the  crowd  who  shouted  to  Pilate  to  crucify 
Jesus,  and  who  saw  Him  hanging  on  a  Roman  cross,  outside  the 
city  walls,  with  two  robbers,  twenty-five  years  ago.  That  a  man 
of  Tarsus  should  stand  up  there,  and  tell  a  Jerusalem  crowd  that 
Jesus  the  Galilean  told  him  in  a  trance  to  go  and  preach  to  the 
unclean,  idolatrous,  Jew-hating  foreigners  was  what  they  would 
not  listen  to.  And  every  time  Paul  held  up  his  hand  and 
tried  to  speak,  they  met  him  with  a  fresh  outburst  of — 

"  Away  with  such  a  fellow  from  the  earth  !  It  is  not  fit  that 
he  should  live.  Away  with  him !  away  with  him !  away  with 
him  ! " 

Seeing  him  standing  safe  beyond  their  reach,  they  yelled 
with  rage,  and  pulled  off  their  outer  cloaks,  and  threw  them  on 
the  ground,  as  if  they  would  climb  the  stairs  and  tear  him  down. 
Others  snatched  up  handfuls  of  dust  from  the  road,  and  flung  them 
at  him  in  hate,  shrieking  and  yelling  as  the  dust  rained  back  in 
their  faces.  But  dust  would  soon  become  stones,  and  with  a 
sign  to  his  men  to  bring  the  prisoner,  Lysias  went  through  the 
door,  and  Paul  followed  him,  amid  yells  of  triumph  from  the 
crowd. 

Great  heart!  he  had  passed  through  the  door  of  a  Roman 
prison,  and  would  never  be  free  again.  Like  a  chained  lion,  he 
would  be  led  about  from  place  to  place,  here  to  be  made  a  show, 
there  to  be  tried  by  a  judge,  and  there  to  be  seen  by  friends,  some- 
times in  a  damp  dungeon,  sometimes  in  a  gilded  palace,  sometimes 
in  a  tossing  ship,  sometimes  in  a  little  house,  but  never  free  from 
the  meshes  of  the  net  that  had  now  been  cast  over  him.  It  was 
well  for  his  spirit,  that  soared  and  sank  so  freely,  that  he  did  not 
know  what  it  meant  when  the  Roman  captain  laid  his  hand  on 
his  shoulder. 


A   PREEBORlSr   ROMAN.  423 

A    Freeborn    Roman. 

JERUSALEM:     AGED    50-60. 

THE  riot  was  at  an  end.  Paul  had  been  taken  by  force  out 
of  his  enemies'  hands,  who  were  in  groups,  talking  excit- 
edly together,  and  watching  the  castle ;  but  most  of  the  people 
streamed  away  down  the  sloping  street  into  the  city,  to  talk  of  the 
riot  in  their  shops  and  homes,  and  guess  at  what  would  happen 
on  the  morrow.  The  Zealots  ran  into  the  dark  courts  with  the 
news  that  Saul  the  Pharisee  of  Tarsus  was  a  prisoner  in  the 
castle.  And  they  plotted  together  how  they  would  stab  him  if 
he  ever  came  out  from  these  thick  stone  walls. 

Lysias  did  not  understand  what  Paul  had  said  to  the  people  in 
Hebrew  that  put  them  into  such  fury.  He  was  angry  with  the 
yelling  crowd,  and  despised  the  prisoner  in  his  soiled  and  torn 
tunic,  and  did  not  believe  him.  Going  to  his  own  room  in  the 
castle,  he  told  one  of  his  officers  to  find  out  the  truth  from  the 
prisoner  in  the  usual  Roman  way,  by  flogging  him. 

Paul  was  roughly  ordered  to  prepare  for  it,  and  he  well  knew 
what  that  meant,  for  he  was  flogged  at  Philippi.  He  would  be 
tied  hand  and  foot  to  a  post  with  leather  thongs,  and  flogged  on 
the  naked  back  with  knotted  cords  until  the  blood  came.  The  care- 
less soldiers  paid  no  heed  to  what  he  said,  and  tied  him  tightly ; 
and  then  an  officer  came  to  see  the  flogging,  and  hear  him  con- 
fess what  he  had  done.  When  he  came  near,  Paul  exclaimed  in 
indignant  anger, — 

"  Is  it  lawful  for  you  to  scourge  a  man  who  is  a  Roman  citizen, 
and  who  has  not  been  condemned  ? " 

The  officer  looked  at  the  grey-headed  Jew  bending  at  the  post, 
and  questioned  him  closely ;  and  Paul's  answers  satisfied  him  that 
he  was  no  common  Jew,  but  a  Roman  citizen,  shielded  by  the 
Roman  law.  Going  to  Lysias,  he  said,  in  a  voice  of  anxiety, 
"Take  care  what  you  do  in  scourging  this  man,  for  he  is  a 
Roman  citizen."  And  he  told  him  what  Paul  had  said.  These 
men  knew  that  to  scourge  a  Roman  without  trial  was  a  high  crime 
that  would  bring  severe  punishment  on  them.  Going  at  once  to 
Paul,  Lysias  ordered  the  thongs  to  be  loosened. 

"Tell  me  truly,  are  you  a  Roman  citizen?"  he  asked  in  an 
earnest  voice. 

"Yes,"  was  the  short,  dignified  answer. 

Lysias  then  questioned  him  closely,  for  he  had  already  done  a 
serious  wrong  in  binding  him  before  slaves;  and  when  he  heard  his 
clear  answers  he  exclaimed, — 


424  A   FREEBORN   ROMAN. 

"  I  had  to  pay  a  large  sum  of  money  to  be  made  a  Roman 
citizen." 

Men  whose  fathers  were  not  citizens  could  only  become  one 
by  paying  a  high  price,  and  even  then  they  were  only  second-rate 
citizens. 

"  But  I  am  a  Roman  citizen  by  birth,"  was  Paul's  reply,  for 
his  father  had  been  one  before  him. 

That  was  enough  for  Lysias.  It  might  not  all  be  true,  but 
he  would  not  risk  scourging  such  a  man  for  all  the  Jews  in 
Jerusalem,  and  he  ordered  the  scourge  to  be  put  away. 

The  men  standing  round  heard,  and  Paul's  clothes  were  found 
and  given  to  him,  with  w^ater  to  wash  away  the  stains  of  the  day, 
and  food  to  eat ;  for  by  the  Roman  law  he  must  be  well  treated. 
They  were  afraid  of  what  he  might  do  to  them  for  having  been 
bound  without  inquiry,  and  so  the  soldiers  put  the  scourge  out  of 
sight,  and  hid  the  thongs  of  leather.  He  was  now  a  prisoner  in 
Jerusalem,  and  part  of  his  fears  had  come  true.  Sitting  with  a 
light  chain  on  his  hand,  in  a  small  stone  room  with  a  low  roof,  and 
only  a  slit  for  light  to  come  in  from  the  blue  sky,  he  thought  of 
his  friends  and  of  his  enemies,  and  prayed  to  God.  He  had  no 
doubt  the  Roman  governor  would  set  him  at  liberty.  He  also 
knew  that  his  Jewish  enemies  would  move  every  stone  to  have 
him  punished.  There  was  a  struggle  before  him  that  would  try 
all  his  strength. 

Luke,  Timothy,  and  his  other  friends  heard  with  the  greatest 
concern  of  the  attack  in  the  temple,  and  of  his  rescue  and  im- 
prisonment, and  they  would  hasten  to  the  castle  and  try  to  obtain 
his  release ;  but  it  was  of  no  use.  The  man  in  the  brown  cloak 
had  been  the  centre  of  a  very  serious  riot  at  this  festival  time — 
Lysias  knew  not  what  about  —  and  if  set  free,  there  might  be 
another.  He  dared  not  let  him  disappear  into  that  crowded 
and  excited  city ;  and  being  a  Roman,  he  could  not  keep  him  a 
prisoner  without  trial.  It  appeared  to  him  a  religious  quarrel, 
and  he  would  inquire  through  the  Jewish  leaders  what  it  was 
about. 

Paul  spent  the  night  on  a  pallet  of  straw,  none  too  clean.  But 
he  was  accustomed  to  strange  sleeping-places :  a  cave,  a  tent,  the 
deck  of  a  boat,  all  had  served  for  him.  In  the  morning  Lysias 
sent  a  message  to  the  head  of  the  Jewish  Sanhedrim  that  he 
wished  a  meeting  held  to  inquire  into  yesterday's  riot  in  the 
temple.  He  took  off  Paul's  chain  and  allowed  him  to  go  about 
inside  the  castle,  telling  him  that  he  was  to  go  to  the  council 
meeting  of  the  Jews. 

They  met  in  a  hall  at  the  temple  gate,  and,  at  the  hour  fixed, 


"I    AM    A    PHARISEE!"  425 

a  few  soldiers  brought  Paul  from  the  castle  into  the  4)lace  which 
he  knew  so  well,  for  he  had  sat  there  himself  as  a  judge.  He 
recognized  many  faces  in  the  dim  light  from  the  little  windows, 
as  they  sat  barefooted  and  cross-legged  on  red  cushions,  their  long 
white  tunics  girdled  up  with  a  band  of  leather,  or  sash  of  silk 
embroidery,  or  plain  linen,  the  rich  citizens  distinguished  by  their 
cloaks  of  purple  and  blue,  crimson  and  yellow,  from  the  plainer- 
dressed  priests  and  rabbis.    They  were  ready  to  begin  the  inquiry. 


**  I    am    a    Pharisee  !  " 

JERUSALEM  :    AGED  50-60. 

AS  Paul  stood,  in  the  dim  light  of  the  council  hall,  looking  at  the 
-^^  circle  of  men,  he  knew  that  some  of  them,  now  frail  and 
old,  were  present  at  the  mock  midnight  trial  twenty -five  years 
before,  when  Jesus  stood  pale  and  calm,  with  bedraggled  hair 
and  soiled  white  tunic,  under  the  guttering  lamps  and  candles, 
His  hands  bound,  answering  their  questions,  until  a  slave's  hand 
smote  Him  on  the  mouth.  Others  saw  Peter  and  John  standing 
there  defiant,  to  be  set  free  on  the  advice  of  Gamaliel.  Others 
sat  there,  with  Paul  in  their  midst,  when  Stephen  was  sent  to  his 
death.  Some  were  his  old  friends  and  fellow-students.  Where 
was  his  accustomed  seat  when,  as  a  Zealot,  he  used  to  attend 
every  meeting,  and  vote  against  the  Christians?  And  who  was 
that  now  sitting  in  his  place?  There  sat  Simon  and  Joshua, 
sons  of  his  old  teacher  Gamaliel ;  and  there  sat  the  sons  of  the 
great  Sadducee  Ananias,  the  hater  of  Jesus.  And  there,  too, 
sat  Ananias  "  the  glutton  "  himself  in  their  midst. 

When  he  sat  on  one  of  these  crimson  cushions  for  the  last 
time,  his  heart  was  on  fire  with  war  and  hatred ;  but  now  it  was 
filled  with  love  and  peace — the  sunshine  of  heaven.  He  now 
knew  whence  came  the  light  that  shone  in  Stephen's  face.  When 
Jesus  and  Stephen  stood  there,  it  was  as  Jews  in  the  hands  of 
priests  who  sought  their  lives ;  but  he  was  there  as  a  Roman 
citizen,  in  the  keeping  of  a  Koman  ofiicer,  who  wished  to  inquire 
about  the  riot  and  report  to  his  superior  officer. 

The  council  knew  Paul's  determination,  his  learning,  and  his 
cleverness.  With  head  grown  grey  under  his  trials,  his  figure 
bent,  and  eyes  that  glowed  on  them  like  the  eyes  of  a  wild  animal, 
the  man  in  the  brown  cloak  looked  fearlessly  at  the  faces  of  his 
countrymen.      Lysias  had  told  them  what  was  wanted,  and  sat 


426  "I  AM  A  phaeisee!" 

with  an  air  of  indifference  among  his  men  of  pike  and  short 
sword.  Paul  knew  he  would  be  asked  if  he  had  any  confession 
to  make,  and  he  was  ready.  His  hands  were  free,  and,  with  the 
art  of  a  great  orator,  he  looked  round  upon  the  frowning  circle 
of  his  judges  for  a  time  in  silence  before  opening  his  lips. 

"  Brothers,"  he  began  slowly,  "  I  have  lived  all  my  life  with  a 
good  conscience  before  God  until  now." 

"  Guard,  smite  him  on  the  mouth,"  screamed  a  shrill  voice. 

But  the  guard  looked  to  Lysias  and  did  nothing.  He  was 
a  Roman  soldier,  not  a  Jewish  slave.  Paul  was  stung  to  the 
quick.  Smite  a  Roman  citizen  on  the  mouth  before  he  had  begun 
his  defence  !  The  lion  in  him  was  roused,  and  his  voice  trembled 
with  anger  as  he  replied  quickly, — 

"God  will  smite  thee,  thou  whited  wall."  There  was  shouting 
of  many  voices  ;  but  he  continued,  louder  still :  "  You  sit  there  to 
judge  me  according  to  the  law,  and  command  me  to  be  struck, 
which  is  against  all  law  ! " 

He  got  no  farther.  Amid  the  noise  of  voices,  some  one  near 
him  called, — 

"  Would  you  revile  God's  high  priest  ? " 

A  change  at  once  came  over  him.  In  his  haste  and  anger 
he  had  made  a  blunder.  The  shrill  voice  was  that  of  Ananias 
the  high  priest,  and  Paul  did  not  know  it.  As  a  Jew,  he  had  to 
apologize  at  once. 

"Brothers,"  he  said  quietly,  looking  round  upon  the  council, 
"I  did  not  know  that  he  was  the  high  priest:  for  our  law  says. 
Thou  shalt  not  speak  ill  of  a  ruler  of  the  people." 

There  must  have  been  a  good  excuse  for  his  mistake — perhaps 
in  the  dim  light,  perhaps  in  the  clashing  of  voices — for  the  apology 
was  accepted,  and  nothing  more  was  said,  and  he  was  allowed  to 
go  on  with  his  speech.  Strange  to  say,  within  a  few  years  Ananias 
was  stabbed  in  one  of  the  city  drains,  hiding  from  dagger  men. 

We  have  not  got  the  words  of  Paul's  speech,  but  he  spoke 
about  his  visions,  perhaps  repeating  what  he  told  the  people  from 
the  castle  steps ;  and  his  words  caused  a  warm  discussion  to  spring 
up  between  the  Sadducees  on  one  side  of  the  chairman,  and  the 
Pharisees  on  the  other,  and  he  saw  that  the  old  hatred  between 
them  was  as  bitter  as  ever.  Perhaps  they  interrupted  his  speech ; 
for,  in  a  loud  voice,  heard  above  their  wrangling,  he  suddenly  ex- 
claimed, as  he  turned  to  the  Pharisee  side, — 

"  Brothers,  I  am  a  Pharisee,  the  son  of  a  Pharisee ;  and  it  is 
about  my  belief  in  the  rising  of  the  dead  and  my  hope  of  a  future 
life  that  I  am  called  to  be  questioned  this  day." 

He  knew  who  were  his  friends  and  who  his  enemies  on  this 


SAVED   BY    HIS    NEPHEW.  427 

question,  for  the  Sadducees  said  that  there  was  no  rising  from  the 
dead,  no  angels,  no  immortal  spirit  in  man  ;  while  the  Pharisees 
believed  in  them  all.  And  they  hated  each  other  for  it — all  the 
more  that  the  rich  and  powerful  Sadducees  ridiculed  the  Pharisees, 
who  were  poor  men.  Ananias,  who  had  ordered  him  to  be  struck 
on  the  mouth,  was  one  of  the  worst  of  the  Sadducees,  and  Paul 
knew  it. 

Paul  had  plenty  of  experience  in  turning  the  tide  of  a  dis- 
cussion or  the  feelings  of  a  crowd,  and  his  words  kindled  a  fierce 
flame.  The  riot  in  the  temple  was  forgotten  in  the  fight  of  the 
Pharisees  to  get  off  their  co-believer.  From  grave,  cutting  remarks 
they  passed  to  heated  speeches  and  sharp  assertions  and  denials, 
in  which  men  sprang  to  their  feet,  the  better  to  reply  to  their 
enemy,  shaking  fists  and  screaming  across  the  room  at  each  other. 

"  We  find  no  harm  in  this  man  ! "  and  with  loud  clamour  the 
Pharisees  wished  to  make  that  the  finding  of  the  council.  "What 
if  a  spirit  has  spoken  to  him,  or  an  angel  ? " — referring  to  Paul's 
visions.  This  was  like  an  insult  to  the  Sadducees,  and  the  noise 
increased. 

Lysias  was  looking  on  at  the  scene  in  calm  disgust.  Those  en- 
raged Jews  would  tear  him  in  pieces  among  them,  and  he  ordered 
his  men  to  go  forward  and  bring  Paul  out  from  their  midst,  and 
take  him  back  to  the  castle.  If  any  one  tried  to  stop  them,  they 
knew  what  to  do. 

And  once  more  Paul  was  rescued  from  his  angry  countrymen 
by  the  strong  arms  and  stronger  pikes  of  Roman  soldiers.  When 
the  councillors  saw  the  grim-faced  men  with  leather  jerkins  and 
brass-covered  caps  taking  Paul  away,  the  fire  went  out  of  the 
theological  quarrel,  and  they  broke  up  the  meeting  and  went 
home,  having  settled  nothing. 


Saved   by  his  Nephew. 

JERUSALEM  :    AGED  50-60. 

rYSIAS,  the  Pom  an  captain,  sat  in  his  room  in  the  castle,  and 
-^  he  did  not  know  what  to  make  of  the  scene  in  the  Jewish 
council,  for  he  could  not  understand  the  subject  of  quarrel  or  their 
Hebrew  talk.  It  made  the  riot  in  the  temple  seem  darker.  He 
talked  with  Paul,  and  liked  him  ;  and  while  he  could  not  set  him 
free,  he  allowed  Luke,  Timothy,  and  his  friends  to  visit  him,  and 
brins:  him  food  and  such  little  comforts  as  he  wanted.     It  was 


428  SAVED   BY    HIS    NEPHEW. 

the  custom  for  the  friends  of  prisoners  to  attend  to  their  wants ; 
and  woe  to  the  wretched  prisoner  who  had  no  friends,  for  his  lot 
was  a  hard  one. 

The  exciting  scene  in  the  council  room,  and  the  gloomy  walls 
of  a  prison,  had  the  usual  effect  upon  Paul's  sensitive  mind.  His 
spirits  drooped,  he  lost  heart,  and  began  to  fear  that  he  would 
never  leave  Jerusalem  or  see  Rome.  And  one  night  as  he  lay 
in  the  dark,  asleep  on  the  rough  straw  scattered  on  the  stone 
floor  of  his  room,  he  was  consoled,  cheered,  and  strengthened, 
as  many  have  been,  by  a  dream.  He  thought  he  saw  the  figure 
of  Jesus  standing  beside  him.  "  Be  of  good  cheer,"  He  said  ; 
"you  have  spoken  for  Me  in  Jerusalem,  and  you  must  speak 
for  Me  in  Rome  also."  When  the  sun  rose  over  the  red  hills 
of  Moab,  with  fringes  of  gold  on  the  clouds,  and  the  blue  sky 
of  early  morning  shone  through  his  prison  window,  Paul  awoke 
cheered  and  comforted,  and  told  his  dream  to  his  friends.  But 
the  soldiers  could  tell  them  nothing  of  what  would  happen  next. 

In  the  lowest  depths  of  the  city,  his  enemies,  the  dagger  men, 
were  plotting  a  move.  Paul  had  been  a  rabbi,  and  had  become  a 
Christian,  travelling  far  and  wide,  preaching  to  foreigners,  and 
setting  aside  the  Jewish  law.  He  deserved  sudden  death.  The 
crowd  cried,  "  Away  with  such  a  fellow  from  the  earth  ! "  And 
they  would  see  that  it  was  done.  There  were  forty  men  at  the 
meeting,  and  they  bound  themselves  together  with  an  oath, 
swearing  that  they  would  neither  eat  nor  drink  until  they  had 
killed  Paul.  But  how?  They  knew  Ananias  "the  glutton," 
and  some  of  them  went  to  the  leaders  of  the  Sanhedrim,  perhaps 
in  the  golden  temple  after  the  evening  sacrifice,  when  the  work 
of  the  chief  priests  was  over. 

"We  have  bound  ourselves  under  a  great  curse,"  the  dagger 
men  said,  in  low  voices,  "to  taste  nothing  until  we  have  killed 
Paul."  Their  dark  words  did  not  shock  the  white-robed  priests. 
It  was  pleasant  if  unholy  news,  and  they  bowed  their  heads  to 
listen. 

"Now  we  wish  you  to  send  a  message  to  Lysias  the  captain, 
asking  him  to  bring  Paul  down  to  the  council  room  again,  saying 
that  you  wish  to  inquire  into  things  more  fully.  And  we,  before 
he  can  get  near  the  place,  will  kill  him."  The  white -robed 
priests  agreed,  and  the  dagger  men  slunk  out  of  the  temple, 
and  away  down  to  report  to  their  companions  in  the  town ; 
and  the  priests,  with  clean-washed  hands,  chanted  their  prayers 
in  booming  voices,  as  if  "Holiness  to  the  Lord"  were  indeed 
written  in  their  hearts  as  well  as  en  their  brow.  These  dagger 
men   must   have  been  a  wicked,   reckless  set,   or  perhaps   they 


SAVED   BY    HIS    NEPHEW.  429 

thought  that  the  people  were  so  much  against  Paul  there  was 
no  need  for  great  secrecy.  They  may  even  have  boasted  of 
their  oath ;  for  Paul's  nephew,  the  son  of  his  sister,  married  and 
living  in  Jerusalem,  overheard  some  of  them  describing  the  plot, 
and  shuddered  when  he  heard  the  name  of  the  victim. 

Without  delay  he  told  his  mother ;  and  she,  in  fear  for  her 
brother's  safety,  sent  him  at  once  to  the  castle  to  tell  Paul. 
There,  in  the  privacy  of  his  stone  room,  he  told  his  uncle  of 
the  plot.  Paul  was  accustomed  to  danger,  and  knowing  that 
as  Lysias  was  responsible  for  his  safety,  he  must  be  convinced 
of  the  truth  of  the  story  ;  and  as  none  could  do  it  better  than 
the  lad  himself,  he  called  for  the  officer. 

"Take  this  young  man  to  the  chief  captain.  He  has  some- 
thing to  tell  him."  That  was  all  he  said;  for  the  fewer  who 
knew  of  the  plot  the  better.  The  lad  was  taken  along  narrow 
passages,  and  up  dark  stairs,  till  he  came  to  the  captain's  room, 
who  had  friends  with  him,  and  there  the  soldier  who  brought 
him  said, — 

"  Paul  the  prisoner  called  me,  and  asked  me  to  bring  this 
young  man  to  you,  for  he  has  something  to  tell  you."  Lysias  was 
not  displeased,  and  seeing  the  youth  hesitating  to  speak  before 
others,  he  took  him  kindly  by  the  hand  and  led  him  to  a  place 
where  none  could  hear. 

"What  do  you  wish  to  tell  me?"  he  asked ;  and  a  frown  came 
over  his  face  as  he  listened  to  the  lad's  whispers, — 

"The  Jews  have  agreed  to  ask  you  to  bring  Paul  down  to 
the  council  room  to-morrow,  as  if  you  wished  to  inquire  more  care- 
fully about  him.  But  do  not  agree  to  do  so.  For  forty  men  have 
bound  themselves  under  a  curse,  neither  to  eat  nor  drink  until 
they  have  killed  him,  and  they  are  going  to  watch  for  him  on  the 
way.  They  are  ready,  and  expect  a  promise  from  you."  This  was 
another  proof  to  Lysias  of  the  contemptible  villany  of  these 
Jews.  He  would  never  be  able  to  find  out  who  dealt  the  stabs, 
and  punishment  would  fall  on  him.  He  questioned  the  lad 
and  sent  him  away,  telling  him  strictly  that  he  was  not  to  tell 
any  man — a  thing  which  he  would  take  good  care  not  to  do, 
for  his  own  safety  as  well  as  his  uncle's.  He  told  Paul, 
however,  what  Lysias  said,  and  left  the  castle,  disappearing  in 
the  dark  streets  of  the  town,  to  whisper  to  his  mother  what  he 
had  done. 


430  A   NIGHT   RIDE   TO   THE   SEA. 

A  Night  Ride  to  the  Sea. 

JERUSALEM  :    AGED  50-60. 

1YSIAS,  the  Roman  captain,  was  indignant  and  a  little  alarmed 
^  that  these  fierce  Jews  should  think  of  killing  a  prisoner 
while  in  charge  of  a  Roman  guard,  and  he  determined  that  it 
should  not  be  done.  There  was  no  hope  now  of  getting  at  the 
truth  of  the  riot  in  the  temple ;  and  Felix,  the  governor  of  Judea, 
in  his  gilded  palace  by  the  cool  sea  at  Caesarea,  alone  could  try 
the  prisoner. 

When  a  festival  was  over,  the  extra  soldiers  were  sent  back  to 
the  barracks  at  Csesarea ;  and  he  made  up  his  mind  to  send  some 
that  night,  with  Paul  among  them.  It  was  no  unusual  thing  for 
soldiers  to  march  by  moonlight  in  summer,  when  it  was  cooler  than 
in  the  daytime.  Sending  for  two  of  his  officers,  he  told  them  that 
seventy  horsemen  and  four  hundred  footmen  were  to  start  for 
Caesarea  at  nine  o'clock,  with  spare  horses  for  Paul  and  others 
to  ride  on,  and  they  were  to  see  the  prisoners  taken  safely  to 
Governor  Felix  at  the  castle.  He  did  not  need  to  say  any  more, 
for  a  simple  order  to  convey  safely  meant  to  these  grim-faced 
men  that  they  must  answer  for  the  prisoners  with  their  lives. 

Taking  pen  and  paper,  Lysias  wrote  the  customary  letter  to  go 
with  the  prisoner,  and  which  would  prove  to  be  the  foundation  of 
Paul's  safety  and  good  treatment, — 

"Claudius  Lysias  sends  greeting  to  the  excellent  governor 
Felix.  This  man  was  seized  by  the  Jews,  and  they  were  going 
to  kill  him,  when  I  came  upon  them  with  soldiers  and  rescued  him, 
having  heard  that  he  was  a  Roman.  Wishing  to  find  out  why 
they  had  done  this,  I  brought  him  down  to  their  council,  and  then 
I  saw  that  it  was  all  about  questions  of  their  own  religious  law. 
But  they  had  nothing  to  say  against  him  which  I  thought  deserved 
death,  or  even  imprisonment.  I  was  told,  however,  that  there 
was  a  plot  against  him,  and  I  have  at  once  sent  him  to  you 
to  be  tried ;  and  I  have  told  his  accusers  that  they  must  speak 
against  him  before  you.      Farewell." 

He  was  friendly  towards  Paul,  and  in  his  anxiety  to  stand 
well  with  his  superior  officer  he  wrote  as  if  he  had  rescued 
him  because  he  was  a  Roman.  He  may  have  read  the  letter  to 
I*aul,  to  give  him  confidence  before  the  governor.  Taking  a  light 
from  the  fire,  he  ran  wax  upon  the  folded  letter,  and  sealed  it  with 
his  ring;  and  calling  the  officer  in  charge  of  the  troop,  he  gave 
it  to  him  to  fasten  inside  his  leather  doublet.     And  Lysias  would 


A    NIGHT   RIDE   TO   THE    SEA.  431 

smile  to  himself  as  he  thought  of  the  forty  Jews  who  would  starve 
with  dry  mouths  for  the  next  day  or  two,  and  of  the  reply  he 
would  give  to  the  grave  elders  who  were  coming  in  the  morning 
to  invite  him  to  bring  Paul  down  to  their  council. 

The  sun  went  down  in  a  haze  of  crimson  behind  the  bare  hills 
of  Judea,  and  the  stars  came  out  round  the  white  moon  that 
shone  on  the  castle  walls.  Paul  was  told  to  prepare  for  the  jour- 
ney, and  the  spare  horses  may  have  been  for  some  of  his  faith- 
ful friends.  At  nine  o'clock  there  was  a  shuffling  of  leather- 
cased  feet,  a  trampling  of  horses'  hoofs,  and  shouting  of  men's 
voices  at  the  castle  stables,  as  the  well-fed  soldiers  tied  on  their 
armour  and  prepared  for  the  journey.  It  was  only  another  band 
of  wild  foreigners  going  down  by  night  to  the  garrison  town. 
All  was  ready,  and  the  men  thronged  out  through  the  low 
archway  and  down  the  narrow  street;  and  Paul,  mounted  and 
with  his  head  muffled  in  his  brown  cloak,  rode  with  the  horse- 
men, a  strong  man  riding  on  each  side,  with  a  light  chain 
fastening  his  wrist  to  one  of  theirs.  As  they  rode  through  the 
narrow  streets,  dark  save  for  gleams  of  moonlight,  and  out 
through  the  darker  tunnel  of  the  city  gate,  he  had  no  fear ;  for 
were  all  Jerusalem  to  rise  against  them,  these  men  of  pike,  sword, 
and  shield  would  not  yield  up  their  prisoner.  Again  he  was 
outside  the  gates  of  Jerusalem.  Within  these  walls  he  would 
never  be  again;  for,  although  not  free,  he  was  leaving  for  ever 
the  city  of  his  boyish  dreams. 

With  the  moonlight  glancing  on  helmet  and  spear-point,  on 
breastplate,  shield,  and  sword,  with  horses'  heads  tossing  in  the 
cool  night  air,  and  the  steady  tramp  of  four  hundred  booted  feet 
in  front  and  rear,  they  marched  past  the  tombs  of  the  Jewish 
kings,  along  the  paved  road  out  into  the  hills,  and  down  towards  the 
sea — the  road  up  which  Paul  had  ridden  with  dread  and  misgiving 
not  many  days  before.  Hour  after  hour,  and  mile  after  mile,  they 
kept  steadily  on  their  way,  stopping  only  for  a  brief  pause,  or  to 
give  their  horses  a  drink  as  they  passed  through  a  stream.  The 
rattle  of  their  armour  and  the  noise  of  their  feet  roused  the 
yellow  dogs  of  the  hamlets ;  sleepers  awoke  in  their  little  houses, 
but  they  knew  as  they  listened  that  it  was  only  another  band 
of  passing  soldiers. 

When  the  light  of  morning  came  over  the  dark  hills  of 
Gilead,  and  the  white  mists  rolled  upward  from  the  woods  of 
Samaria,  they  were  still  marching  on,  for  tlie  two  officers 
would  not  stop  until  they  had  gone  the  usual  distance  of  a  forced 
march.  By  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning  the  sun  was  burning  hot, 
and  they  had   reached   the   soldiers'  resting-place    of    Antipatris, 


432  A    NIGHT   RIDE   TO   THE    SEA. 

on  the  plain  of  Sharon,  between  the  hills  and  the  sea,  with  re- 
freshing streams,  and  here  they  rested  and  had  food.  The  foot- 
soldiers  went  no  farther,  but,  after  resting,  marched  back  towards 
the  hills  and  Jerusalem ;  while  the  horsemen,  with  Paul  in  their 
midst,  trotted  off  for  a  hot  ride  of  twenty  miles,  through  wood- 
land and  harvest  field,  towards  the  city  of  Csesarea,  where  they 
would  not  arrive  until  the  afternoon.  The  soldiers  were  mostly 
young,  hardened  men,  who  would  not  think  much  of  what  they 
had  done;  but  to  Paul  it  would  be  very  tiring  to  ride  all  night 
and  all  day  with  little  rest.  But  men  can  endure  a  good  deal 
when  their  lives  are  in  danger. 

The  sun  burned  on  the  golden  roof  of  the  temple  at  Jerusalem, 
and  the  blue  sky  gleamed  over  the  open  courts,  where  the  priests 
were  cleansing  the  white  altar  for  the  morning  sacrifice,  and 
filling  the  air  with  the  smoke  of  fragrant  incense.  Having  said 
their  morning  prayers,  the  deputation  of  rulers  went  to  the  castle 
to  inquire  for  Lysias.  They  were  too  pure  to  go  into  the  house  of 
a  foreigner,  so  he  came  out  to  them,  with  short,  black  hair  and 
clean-shaven  face,  wearing  a  soft  cloak  thrown  over  his  shoulder, 
that  partly  hid  his  embossed  breastplate  and  purple  tunic,  but 
left  his  bare  brown  arms  uncovered ;  and  he  smiled  to  himself  as 
he  saw  how  the  Jews  kept  at  a  distance  from  him.  With  mock 
voices  they  asked  that  the  prisoner  Paul  should  be  brought  down 
again  to  the  council  that  day,  that  his  matter  might  be  further 
inquired  into ;  and  he  watched  their  faces  as  he  questioned  them. 
Perhaps  he  tried  how  many  lies  these  holy  men  from  the  Jews' 
temple  would  tell,  by  seeking  particulars  of  why  they  wished  to 
ask  more  questions  of  Paul,  and  whether  the  day  after  to-morrow 
or  next  week  would  not  do  as  well.  And  he  would  frown  at  their 
answers,  and  perhaps  smile  at  the  thought  of  their  friends,  the 
forty  hungry  and  thirsty  dagger  men,  down  in  the  dens  of  the 
city.  At  length  he  told  them  that  Paul  was  near  Csesarea  by  this 
time,  having  gone  down  in  the  night  with  a  troop  of  soldiers; 
and  that  if  they  had  anything  more  to  say  against  the  man,  they 
must  say  it  in  open  court  before  Felix,  the  governor  there. 

They  would  not  know  whether  to  doubt  or  believe ;  but 
they  dared  not  question  him,  for  Roman  officers  had  a  knack  of 
keeping  silent  when  they  had  crafty  Jews  to  deal  with,  and  of 
handling  them  somewhat  roughly.  Turning  on  his  heel,  Lysias 
left  them  to  carry  their  perplexing  message  to  their  white-robed 
friends  and  to  the  villanous  dagger  men,  whose  oaths  and  curses 
were  most  likely  only  so  much  empty  boasting,  to  make  the  people 
think  how  terrible  they  were,  but  which  they  never  intended  to 
keep  if  it  meant  no  more  wine  and  meat. 


TERTULLUS    THE    ADVOCATE.  433 

TertuUus  the  Advocate. 

C^SAREA:    AGED  60-60. 

ALTHOUGH  Felix  was  the  Roman  governor  of  Judea,  and 
-  bound  to  do  justice  as  a  Roman  judge,  he  was  a  very 
diflferent  man  from  Lysias,  his  chief  captain.  When  he  was  still 
a  Roman  slave,  Pallas,  his  brother,  was  in  high  favour  with  the 
emperor,  and  got  him  made  governor  of  Samaria.  The  Judeans 
hated  him,  and  when  he  became  their  governor  also,  he  cordially 
returned  their  hatred,  putting  down  the  risings  of  the  Zealots 
with  terrible  cruelty,  and  yet  he  employed  the  dagger  men  for  his 
own  dark  deeds.  He  hated  Ananias  the  high  priest,  and  looked 
on  nothing  with  favour  that  came  from  him ;  and  he  despised  the 
whole  Jewish  people,  from  the  high  priest  to  the  lowest  dagger 
man.  The  Roman  emperor  was  the  only  man  he  feared,  and 
this  made  him  behave  with  a  certain  decency,  for  he  was  liable  at 
any  time  to  be  recalled  to  Rome  and  punished.  But  he  lived  like 
a  prince  in  Herod's  large  castle  a^  Csesarea,  surrounded  by  Roman 
officers  and  Roman  ladies,  who  enjoyed  the  Roman  games  and 
prize  fights  in  the  circus,  and  the  chariot  and  horse  races.  His 
wife  Drusilla,  whom  he  got  to  desert  her  husband  and  marry  him, 
was  a  beautiful  Jewish  princess,  the  sister  of  Herod  Agrippa. 

Paul  was  kept  in  the  soldiers'  barracks  at  the  castle,  chained 
to  his  companion  soldier  by  the  light  chain,  until  Pelix  cared  to 
see  him,  which  may  not  have  been  for  some  days.  Then  the 
officer  of  the  troop  of  horse,  taking  Paul  with  him,  crossed  the 
courtyard  and  went  up  the  white  steps  into  the  part  where  the 
governor  lived,  and  over  the  tessellated  passages,  until  he  came 
to  the  large  room,  with  shaded  openings  for  windows,  through 
which  the  cool  wind  came  from  the  sea,  where  he  received  his 
officers.  Going  forward  slowly,  and  touching  his  knee  on  the 
pavement,  the  officer  handed  him  Lysias's  letter.  As  Felix  read 
it  he  glanced  from  under  his  frowning  brows  at  the  Jew  in  the 
brown  cloak,  who  stood  at  the  door,  with  the  chain  of  a  prisoner 
on  his  wrist.     And  he  wondered  if  he  came  from  Judea. 

"  What  province  do  you  come  from  1 "  he  asked. 

"  From  Tarsus  of  Cilicia,"  Paul  replied. 

Folding  up  the  letter,  Felix  asked  some  more  questions,  al- 
though he  would  not  listen  to  explanations  now.  He  was  favour- 
ably inclined  towards  this  Roman  citizen,  and  despised  the  Jews 
and  all  their  priests  and  councillors. 

"I  will  hear  your  case  when  your  accusers  also  come  to 
(1,040)  26 


434  TERTULLUS   THE    ADVOCATE. 

C?esarea."  And  turning  to  the  officer,  he  gave  orders  that,  as 
th;^  prisoner  was  uncondemned,  he  was  not  to  be  put  into  the 
prison,  a  loathsome  place,  but  was  to  remain  in  the  soldiers' 
barracks,  and  his  friends  were  to  be  allowed  to  see  him.  This 
was  a  great  favour,  and  meant  that  Luke,  Timothy,  Philip,  and 
others  would  bring  him  in  food,  bedding,  books,  dishes,  and 
other  comforts,  to  make  his  confinement  tolerable  within  the 
castle  walls. 

Days  passed,  and  his  friends  heard  that  Ananias  the  glutton 
and  some  of  the  Jerusalem  council  were  coming  down  to  accuse 
him,  and  Paul  thought  of  his  defence.  When  they  came,  he 
went  in  charge  of  a  soldier  to  the  seat  of  justice,  outside  the 
castle,  where  Felix  sat  in  a  chair  of  white  ivory,  placed  upon  a 
raised  pavement,  to  hear  all  cases.  Pillars  and  arches  surrounded 
him,  with  no  roof,  but  only  a  yellow  awning  casting  a  cool  shade, 
as  he  sat  in  his  white  cloak  with  the  purple  border,  the  sea  and 
sky  gleaming  through  the  arches.  Round  the  pavement  stood 
soldiers  with  bronze-headed  pikes,  and  behind  him  were  the  men 
of  the  rods  and  axe.  It  was  a  Roman  court,  free  to  all.  The  Jews 
from  Jerusalem  were  there,  with  Tertullus  the  advocate,  whom 
they  had  engaged  to  plead  their  case  in  Greek,  standing  apart  by 
themselves,  for  they  did  not  care  to  rub  clothes  with  foreigners. 
There  too  stood  Luke,  Timothy,  and  the  friends  of  Paul,  who 
trusted  to  his  innocence  and  eloquence.  Beyond  them  were  Jews, 
Syrians,  Greeks,  traders,  idlers,  beggars,  curious  to  hear  what  was 
being  done. 

The  business  of  the  court  went  on,  with  disputes,  wrangling, 
and  sharp  judgments,  while  the  crowd  of  idlers  of  the  city  looked 
on,  indifferent  to  who  won ;  and  then  came  Paul's  case.  He  was 
brought  forward,  to  stand  in  his  brown  cloak  and  striped  kerchief 
beside  a  soldier,  but  with  his  hands  freed  from  the  chain.  Felix 
asked  if  his  accusers  were  present,  and  Tertullus  answered  for  his 
clients — Ananias  the  glutton  and  others.  When  asked  of  what 
they  accused  the  prisoner,  Tertullus  went  to  the  accuser's  place, 
and,  speaking  in  flowing  Greek,  praised  Felix. 

"  Seeing  that  through  you  we  enjoy  much  peace,  and  that  by 
your  care  mischievous  things  are  corrected  for  this  nation,  we 
acknowledge  it  in  all  ways,  and  at  all  places,  with  all  thankful- 
ness, most  excellent  Felix.  But  I  do  not  wish  to  weary  you  with 
these  things,  and  entreat  you  to  hear  a  few  words  in  your  kind- 
ness. We  have  found  this  man  a  pestilent  fellow,  and  a  stirrer- 
up  of  insurrections  among  all  the  Jews  throughout  all  the  world, 
and  a  ringleader  of  the  sect  called  the  Nazarenes.  He  also  tried 
to  profane  our  temple ;  but  we  laid  hold  of  him,  and  would  have 


435 

judged  him  by  our  own  law.  But  Lysias  the  chief  captain  came, 
and  with  great  violence  took  him  out  of  our  hands,  ordering  his 
accusers  to  come  before  you.  Examine  him  yourself,  and  you  will 
see  the  truth  of  all  the  things  of  which  we  accuse  him."  Turning 
to  his  clients — Ananias  the  glutton  and  his  friends — he  asked  them 
if  it  was  not  so.  And  one  after  another  they  rose  and  joined  in 
the  charge  made  by  their  advocate,  affirming  that  what  he  said 
was  true. 

Felix  had  the  Roman  gift  of  silence.  The  Greek  advocate's 
remark  about  the  violence  of  Lysias,  his  captain,  did  his  case  no 
good.  The  governor  had  the  captain's  own  version  of  the  rescue 
in  the  letter  in  his  hand,  and  Paul  had  good  reason  to  be  grateful 
to  Lysias  for  his  favourable  report,  which  would  stand  his  friend 
through  long  years  of  inquiry  and  delay.  Turning  his  glance  from 
the  faces  of  the  excited  Jews,  and  his  hated  enemy  Ananias,  to  the 
earnest  face  of  the  prisoner,  Felix  beckoned  with  his  hand,  as  he 
asked  him  for  his  defence.  He  knew  that  this  wonderful  Jew 
would  be  ready.  As  Roman  governor,  he  had  heard  something  of 
Paul,  and  knew  of  the  new  gospel  of  Jesus  which  so  earned  the 
hatred  of  the  priests,  and  he  prepared  to  listen  to  an  interesting 
speech. 

**When   Lysias  Comes." 

CiESAREA:    AGED  50-60. 

PAUL  had  heard  the  men  of  Athens,  and  knew  more  about 
Greek  oratory  than  Tertullus,  who  made  his  living  by  it. 
As  was  his  manner,  before  opening  his  lips  he  looked  earnestly  at 
the  face  of  the  Roman  governor  with  those  wonderful  grey  eyes 
that  kindled  when  his  voice  rose  into  eloquence. 

"Since  I  know,"  he  began,  "that  for  many  years  you  have 
been  a  judge  among  Jews,  I  cheerfully  make  my  defence  before  you. 
Take  note  that  it  is  not  more  than  twelve  days  since  I  went  up  to 
worship  at  Jerusalem.  And  neither  in  the  temple,  in  the  syna- 
gogues, or  in  the  city  did  they  find  me  disputing  with  any  man, 
or  stirring  up  a  crowd  :  neither  can  they  pro^•e  to  you  the  things 
of  which  they  accuse  me."  This  was  a  challenge  to  the  lying 
Jews  to  prove  their  case  with  witnesses  in  the  usual  way.  He 
then  went  on  to  tell  Felix  the  true  reason  of  their  bitter  hatred. 

"  But  this  I  confess  to  you,  I  belong  to  those  who  speak  of 
the  way  of  God,  whom  these  men  call  a  false  sect,  and  after 
their  manner  I  worship  the  God  of  our  fathers.  I  believe  all 
things  which  are  according  to  our  Jewish  religious  law,  and  are 


436  "WHEN    LYSIAS    COMES." 

written  in  the  books  of  our  prophets ;  and  like  these  men,"  pointing 
to  his  accusers,  "  I  hope  and  look  for  the  rising  of  all  men,  good  and 
bad,  from  the  dead."  And  he  repeated  the  words  which  aroused 
the  anger  of  Ananias,  who  heard  them  now  in  gloomy  silence,  and 
did  not  suggest  that  he  should  be  struck  on  the  mouth  :  "  Herein 
I  strive  to  keep  a  clear  conscience  toward  God  and  men. 

"  I  was  away  from  Jerusalem  for  some  years,  and  came  back 
to  bring  money  to  my  poor  countrymen,  and  offerings ;  amidst 
which  these  men,"  pointing  again  to  his  accusers,  "found  me  in 
the  temple,  having  purified  myself  before  going  in.  I  was  there 
with  no  crowd  and  no  disorder.  But  some  Jews  were  there  from 
Ephesus,  who  made  a  riot ;  and  they  should  have  been  here  to-day 
to  accuse  me,  if  they  have  anything  tliey  can  say.  Or  else,"  and 
again  he  pointed  with  a  sweep  of  his  arm  to  Ananias  and  his 
friends,  "  let  these  men  tell  you  what  wrong-doing  they  found  in 
me,  when  I  stood  before  their  council,  excepting  this  one  thing, 
that  I  called  loudly  as  I  stood  among  them,  It  is  about  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead  that  I  am  being  called  in  question  before 
you  this  day." 

He  paused,  and  Ananias  and  his  advocate  made  no  sign  of 
answering  him,  for  he  spoke  the  truth.  But  they  kept  to  their 
accusation  that  he  was  a  ringleader  of  the  Nazarenes,  who  stirred 
up  the  Jews  everywhere  against  the  Roman  rule.  Felix  knew 
better.  A  glance  at  the  letter  of  Lysias,  and  he  saw  these  words : 
"  I  brought  him  down  to  their  council,  and  then  I  saw  that  it  was 
all  about  questions  of  their  own  religious  law."  Ananias  and 
his  advocate  did  not  know  what  the  Roman  captain  had  w^ritten. 
Felix  had  not  hunted  Zealots  among  the  caves  and  mountains  of 
Judea  without  knowing  that  neither  Jesus  the  gentle  Galilean, 
nor  His  followers  of  the  way  of  God,  were  plotters  against  the 
Roman  rule.  If  this  Paul  of  Tarsus  were  one,  why  should  the 
dagger  men  wish  to  murder  him  ?  He  might  have  dismissed  the 
case  there  and  then,  and  set  him  free,  but  he  granted  the  accusers' 
request  for  delay,  for  some  reason  of  his  own,  putting  it  off  to 
another  day.  Perhaps  what  Paul  said  about  the  sum  of  money  he 
brought  had  something  to  do  with  it,  for  Felix  loved  a  bribe. 
Holding  up  his  hand  for  silence,  he  said  gravely  to  Paul, — 

"  When  Lysias,  the  chief  captain,  comes  down  to  Csesarea,  I 
will  decide  your  matter  ; "  and,  with  the  air  of  an  impartial  judge, 
he  turned  to  the  next  case.  That  was  the  sign  for  Ananias  and 
his  advocate  to  go  out  and  discuss  the  position  with  their  friends. 
They  had  no  great  reason  to  be  displeased  with  the  result.  If 
they  could  persuade  Felix  to  delay  the  case  from  time  to  time,  it 
would  keep  Paul  out  of  the  way.     A  bribe  might  do  it. 


A   LOVELY   JEWISH    PRINCESS.  437 

Felix  believed  he  was  innocent,  and  commanded  the  officer  of  the 
garrison  that  he  was  to  be  allowed  indulgence,  and  his  friends 
permitted  to  come  and  go  as  they  liked,  and  do  whatever  they 
wished  to  make  him  comfortable.  The  result  of  the  trial  was  a 
disappointment  to  Paul  and  his  friends,  who  expected  he  would 
have  been  set  free ;  but  it  had  ended,  as  many  another  trial  has 
done,  in  a  postponement  to  another  day,  and  his  sensitive  mind 
began  to  droop  with  anxiety. 


A  Lovely  Jewish   Princess, 

C^SAREA:    AGED  50-60. 

ANANIAS  the  glutton,  the  men  from  the  council,  and  their 
^  lawyer  rode  their  slow-footed  asses,  in  the  melting  heat, 
back  to  Jerusalem.  They  had  failed  to  get  Paul  punished — indeed, 
Felix  the  slave  seemed  disposed  to  set  him  free — and  they  must 
get  the  case  held  over,  if  possible,  for  years.  And  this  they  did 
with  such  success — for  Felix  loved  a  bribe — that,  to  please  them, 
he  let  the  matter  stand  over  indefinitely.  Lysias  came  and  went 
between  Jerusalem  and  Caesarea,  but  the  case  was  not  heard  of 
again.  And  Paul  remained  a  prisoner,  yet  hardly  in  a  prison,  for 
he  was  in  a  good  building,  and  could  speak  with  his  friends,  and 
write  letters  to  distant  Christians ;  and  while  he  might  walk  in 
the  barrack  grounds,  he  was  not  allowed  outside  the  brick  walls, 
and  there  was  always  a  soldier  near,  whose  duty  it  was  to  bring 
him  if  wanted. 

Felix,  with  mounted  soldiers  round  him,  left  Csesarea  for  a 
time;  and  when  he  returned,  his  wife,  the  princess  Drusilla,  was 
with  him.  As  a  daughter  of  the  Jewish  royal  family,  she  was 
much  thought  of,  but  more  because  she  was  so  very  beautiful,  and 
not  yet  twenty.  Felix  told  her  about  Paul,  and  being  a  Jewess, 
she  understood  the  religious  differences  between  Paul  and  the  Jews' 
council,  and  may  even  have  tried  to  explain  them  to  the  Roman 
governor.  Jesus  was  crucified  before  she  was  born,  but  she  knew 
about  His  followers  the  Nazarenes;  and  when  Felix  told  her  of 
Paul's  strange  speech,  she  also  wished  to  hear  this  remarkable 
man,  and  he  was  sent  for. 

When  Paul  appeared  in  the  palace,  it  was  to  stand  with  naked 
feet  on  the  floor  of  coloured  tiles,  under  a  gilded  roof  that  rested 
upon  marble  arches,  while  Felix  and  Drusilla  reclined  on  silk 
couches,   with  their  servants    round   them.       He    could    see    the 


438  A    LOVELY    JEWISH    PRINCESS. 

muscular  arras  and  face  of  a  slave  in  Felix ;  while  in  the  deep 
red  cheeks,  the  dark  eyes,  and  the  black  hair  of  the  princess  he 
saw  a  true  daugliter  of  his  own  race,  as  she  lay  smiling,  in  pale- 
hued  robes,  with  jewels  at  her  throat  and  wrists,  her  slave-girls 
fanning  her  with  feather  fans.  Tliis  was  the  sister  of  the  princess 
whose  statue  he  had  seen  among  the  idols  of  Athens.  Wearing  a 
girdled  tunic,  his  grey  hair  covered  with  a  traveller's  striped  ker- 
chief that  shaded  his  piercing  eyes,  Paul  stood  in  the  doorway. 
He  was  a  prisoner,  and  did  not  know  why  he  was  brought  into  a 
palace  to  stand  before  a  disgraced  princess  of  his  own  race. 

Felix  bade  him  draw  near,  telling  him  that  he  wished  to 
hear  more  about  the  faith  of  the  Nazarenes  in  Jesus  the  Christ. 
Fixing  his  keen  eyes  on  the  face  of  the  young  princess,  who,  he 
knew,  would  understand  him  when  Felix  did  not,  Paul  approached, 
and  told  once  more  the  story  of  the  hope  of  their  race  in  a  Messiah ; 
of  the  coining  of  Jesus,  His  life,  His  death,  His  rising  again,  and 
the  faith  of  the  Nazarenes  in  Him  as  the  Christ.  Did  he  re- 
member John  the  Baptist,  in  his  camel-hair  garment,  standing 
before  King  Antipas  in  the  black  castle  by  the  Dead  Sea  ?  His 
listeners  must  have  spoken,  for  he  paused  to  reason  with  them, 
and  his  eye  kindled  as  he  thought  that  perhaps  some  words  of 
his  might  toucli  their  hearts.  What  did  he  hold  up  before  this 
whipped  slave,  who  had  come  to  be  a  governor,  and  this  princess 
girl,  who  had  deserted  her  husband  ?  He  spoke  to  them  of  doing 
right,  and  of  self-control ;  that  they  should  wrong  no  one,  and 
keep  a  clear  conscience  toward  God,  which  was  the  rule  of  life 
that  Jesus  taught;  and  that  their  passions  and  wishes  should  be 
kept  under  restraint. 

A  powerful  ruler,  as  you  know,  is  apt  to  think  that  he  can 
do  as  he  pleases ;  and  a  beautiful  young  princess  is  inclined  to  be- 
lieve that  she  must  have  everything  she  wants.  But  Paul  told 
them  otherwise.  He  would  also  tell  them  of  the  higher  life  in 
Jesus,  which  was  the  way  of  God ;  and  that  Jesus  said  that  all 
persons  would  be  judged  by  what  they  did  in  this  life ;  and  that 
there  was  a  living  God,  who  would  judge  the  good  and  the  bad. 
And  thus  the  orator,  in  the  full  strength  of  his  great  powers,  who 
could  hold  thousands  listening,  addressed  these  two — a  Jewish 
girl  and  her  Roman  master.  To  win  either  of  them  would  mean 
to  win  hundreds  in  the  city,  and  liberty  ! 

Like  most  of  his  class,  Felix  had  no  religion,  but  only  a  super- 
stitious dread  of  unknown  and  mysterious  powers.  And  as  he 
listened,  he  was  fascinated  by  the  piercing  eyes,  and  fear  took 
hold  of  him  that  perhaps  Paul  was  speaking  the  truth,  and  that 
there  was  a  future  life,  and  a  living  God  to  punish  the  wicked. 


ONESIMUS    THE    SLAVE.  439 

Where  then  would  he  stand  ?  The  princess  Drusilla  was  probfe.bly 
a  Sadducee,  and  would  smile  behind  her  fan  as  she  watched  the 
grave  and  concerned  looks  of  Felix,  listening  to  the  inspired  man, 
until  a  feeling  of  terror  seized  hiai,  and  feigning  pressing  business, 
he  hurriedly  stopped  the  troubling  voice,  saying  with  a  wave  of 
his  hand, — 

"  Go  away  for  the  present :  I  will  send  for  you  again  at  some 
more  convenient  time."  And  as  Paul  retired  from  the  room,  and 
the  crimson  curtain  fell  over  the  doorway,  he  may  have  heard  the 
light  laugh  of  the  young  princess  when  Felix  told  her  that  the 
man  with  the  piercing  eyes  had  positively  frightened  him  with 
what  he  said,  and  he  may  even  have  called  for  a  cup  of  wine  to 
make  him  feel  brave  again. 

After  a  few  days  he  sent  for  Paul  again,  but  we  do  not  read 
that  the  princess  was  there.  The  governor  had  got  over  his 
fright ;  for  while  he  liked  to  converse  with  the  wonderful  man  who 
was  his  prisoner,  his  inquiries  were  not  so  much  about  the  faith 
in  Jesus,  as  about  whether  Paul  would  not  buy  freedom  with 
some  of  the  money  he  brought  to  Jerusalem,  for  Felix  loved  a 
bribe.  He  was  like  one  of  the  governors  still  common  in  Turkey, 
who  think  that  their  time  of  office  is  to  be  used  in  making  them- 
selves rich  with  bribes.  But  Felix  found  another  surprise  in  this 
marvellous  Jew ;  for  however  friendly  he  might  be  with  him,  and 
however  plain  he  might  speak  about  it,  Paul  would  not  pay  for  his 
freedom,  and  would  only  go  out  declared  innocent.  Ananias  and 
his  friends  had  no  such  scruples.  As  Felix  asked  bribes  of  Paul  to 
let  him  out,  we  need  not  doubt  that  he  asked  and  got  bribes  to 
keep  him  in ;  for  he  let  the  trial  lie  over  for  months  and  years, 
treating  Paul  in  a  friendly  manner  all  the  time — perhaps  expect- 
ing that  he  would  one  day  change  his  mind  about  the  use  of 
money. 


Onesimus  the  Slave. 

C^SAREA  :     AGED    50-60. 

AND  so  Paul  went  back  to  live  among  the  Poman  soldiers  in 
■tx.  the  barracks  of  the  castle — men  of  all  kinds  and  nations ; 
for  they  made  up  their  armies  from  the  people  they  conquered, 
and  the  fiercer  and  stronger  they  were  the  better.  It  did  not 
matter  whether  they  were  Negroes,  Egyptians,  Italians,  Greeks, 
or  Asiatics :  when  they  put  on  Poman  armour,  they  were  all  alike 
soldiers  of  Pome. 


440  ONESIMUS   THE    SLAVE. 

Paul's  friends  went  out  and  in  as  they  pleased;  and  Aris- 
tarchus,  who  was  dragged  into  the  theatre  at  Ephesus,  was  also  in 
the  prison,  perhaps  as  his  servant.  And  there  Paul  lived,  sometimes 
writing  to  distant  friends,  sometimes  preaching  to  those  near  at 
hand,  spreading  the  gospel  in  the  great  Roman  garrison  town,  amid 
the  tramp  of  armed  men  and  the  neighing  of  horses.  Down  on  the 
rocky  coast  the  ships  sailed  in  from  the  blue  sea,  and  out  be- 
tween the  great  stone  horns  of  the  harbour.  The  vast  open  theatre 
that  looked  over  the  city  from  the  hillside  above  was  crowded  again 
and  again  with  idle  soldiers  and  pleasure-seeking  sailors,  who 
wanted  amusement,  and  had  no  love  for  the  fine  temple  which 
Herod  the  Great  built,  and  which  held  the  statue  of  the  emperor 
Augustus,  for  those  to  worship  who  cared. 

But  there  was  bloodshed  as  well  as  amusement  in  this  city, 
where  men  had  knives  at  their  belts.  Greeks  and  Jews  met 
in  the  large  market,  and  as  they  were  both  very  hard  bargainers, 
and  often  cheats  and  liars,  it  is  not  strange  that  they  hated  each 
other  and  quarrelled.  One  day  the  Jews  took  one  side,  and 
the  Greeks  the  other,  and  they  fought  so  fiercely  that  Felix 
came  out  of  the  castle  barracks  with  a  band  of  soldiers  to  keep 
order ;  and  his  way  of  doing  so  was  to  fall  on  the  Jews,  and  kill  a 
great  many,  and  give  up  their  shops,  stalls,  booths,  and  houses  to 
be  plundered  by  their  enemies.  Felix  hated  Jews.  And  thus 
Paul,  the  minister  of  peace  and  brotherly-kindness,  had  to  live 
on  where  the  shouts  of  quarrelling  and  the  shrieks  of  slaughter 
came  over  his  prison  walls,  in  a  city  ruled  by  the  rough  arm  of 
an  ex-slave.  Chief  among  his  faithful  friends  were  Luke  and 
Timothy,  but  he  also  frequently  saw  Philip  and  his  daughters,  and 
Aristarchus,  Tychicus,  Justus,  Demas,  Epaphras,  and  once  more 
Mark  of  Jerusalem,  with  whom  he  was  now  on  affectionate  terms. 

One  day  a  slave  called  Onesimus  came  to  him,  who  had  run 
away  from  Philemon,  a  Christian  of  Colosse,  whom  Paul  knew, 
for  the  Christians  met  in  his  house.  The  slave  would  come  to 
Csesarea  by  ship,  working  as  a  sailor,  with  food  for  a  wage.  He 
had  heard  of  Paul  in  his  master's  house,  and  hearing  of  him  in 
Cpesarea,  sought  him  out,  and  so  loved  him  that  he  wished  to 
live  in  the  barracks  with  him.  Paul  was  deeply  touched  with  the 
story  of  his  escape,  and  told  him  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus;  and 
Onesimus  the  slave  became  a  Christian,  and  was  like  his  servant. 

Time  passed ;  and  although  Onesimus  was  a  great  comfort, 
Paul  thought  that  he  should  go  back  to  his  master ;  and  if  Phile- 
mon freed  him,  all  would  be  well.  We  should  not  now  send  a 
slave  back  ;  but  in  these  times  all  men  had  slaves  who  could  afford 
to  feed  them,  just  as  they  had  horsee.      Onesimus  was  willing  to 


ONESIMUS   THE    SLAVE.  441 

go,  and  Paul  sent  a  letter  with  him,  in  which  he  pleaded  in  his  own 
way  for  his  forgiveness  and  freedom,  although  we  might  think  it 
was  Philemon  who  required  to  be  forgiven.  He  joins  the  youthful 
Timothy  with  him  in  the  letter,  and  his  would  be  the  hand  that 
wrote,  while  the  elder  man  spoke,  and  the  loving  slave  sat  among 
the  friends  listening.  He  sent  greetings  from  Timothy  and  him- 
self to  Philemon,  Apphia,  Archippus,  and  all  who  met  at  their 
house. 

"  I  have  had  much  joy  and  comfort  in  your  love,  because  you 
have  cheered  the  hearts  of  others.  In  the  things  of  Jesus  I  could 
boldly  tell  you  what  to  do ;  yet  for  love's  sake,  being  Paul  the  aged, 
once  a  messenger,  now  a  prisoner  for  Jesus,  I  beseech  you  for  my 
child  Onesimus,  whom  I  have  made  a  Christian,  while  in  my  prison 
chains.  He  was  little  worth  to  you,  but  now  he  is  of  use  to  both 
of  us.  He  is  dear  to  me  as  my  own  heart,  but  I  have  sent  him 
back  to  you,  although  I  would  fain  have  kept  him,  that  on  your 
behalf  he  might  have  attended  on  me,  now  in  chains  for  the  gospel. 
But  without  your  leave  I  would  not  do  it.  Your  goodness  must 
not  be  forced,  but  of  free  will.  Perhaps  he  has  been  parted  from 
you  for  a  time,  that  you  may  have  him  for  ever ;  not  as  a  slave, 
but  as  a  brother,  specially  loved  by  me,  and  how  much  more  by 
you,  both  as  a  man  and  a  Christian.  If  you  count  me  as  a  friend, 
receive  Onesimus  as  if  he  were  myself.  If  he  has  wronged  you 
at  all,  or  is  owing  you  anything,  charge  it  all  to  me." 

That  was  the  end,  and  Timothy  handed  him  the  reed  pen,  as 
usual,  to  put  the  finishing  words.  His  heart  was  hot  about  the 
man  he  was  sending  back  to  freedom  or  to  slavery.  If  it  is  only 
a  matter  of  money,  he  will  guarantee  it, — 

"  I  Paul  write  it  with  my  own  hand,  I  will  repay  you.  I 
need  not  remind  you  that  you  owe  your  faith  to  me.  Brother,  let 
me  have  joy  in  you  :  refresh  my  heart  in  Jesus.  I  write  thus 
because  I  have  confidence  in  your  obedience,  that  you  will  do 
more  even  than  I  ask.  Also  prepare  a  lodging  for  me :  for  I 
hope  your  prayers  may  be  granted,  and  that  I  may  come  to  you. 
Epaphras,  Mark,  Aristarchus,  Demas,  and  Luke  send  greetings." 

There  are  two  touching  things  in  this  letter — where  he  calls 
himself  Paul  the  aged,  and  speaks  of  his  hopes  of  early  freedom. 
Our  public  men  are  in  their  full  vigour  of  intellect  at  sixty ;  and 
yet  Paul,  who  was  not  yet  that  age,  was  feeling  worn  out  by  the 
rigour  and  stress  of  years,  more  than  by  their  number.  Hopes  of 
freedom  buoyed  him  up,  but  when  these  phantom  clouds  began 
to  fade  from  the  horizon,  then  his  great  spirit  would  sink  within 
him. 

And  so  Onesimus  the  slave,  like   many  others,  would   pass 


442  WRITING   WITH    A    CHAINED    HAND. 

through  that  barrack-yard,  finding  Paul  a  prisoner,  and  leaving 
him  one.  Coining  up  from  the  sea,  he  was  to  disappear  over  it 
again,  to  the  west,  in  the  track  of  the  sun.  Like  a  ribbon  of 
gold  laid  across  the  water,  that  little  letter  shines  out  towards  us 
from  the  dark  age  and  the  dark  world  in  which  it  was  written. 
But  the  slave  would  not  leave  until  Tychicus  went  with  a  formal 
letter  to  the  Christians  of  Colosse. 


Writing  with   a  Chained   Hand. 

CESAREA  :  AGED  50-60. 

A  PRISONER  in  the  barracks,  Paul's  thoughts  winged  them- 
selves over  the  castle  walls,  and  across  seas  and  continents, 
to  the  congregations  in  distant  cities ;  and  he  sent  messengers  to 
them,  and  their  messengers  came  to  him.  We  need  not  doubt 
that  some  of  his  letters  at  this  time  have  been  lost;  and  of  those 
that  bear  his  name,  critics  say  that  some  may  not  be  his.  But 
that  need  not  trouble  us,  for  without  doubt  his  heart  beats  and 
his  fire  burns  in  them,  and  the  truth  of  God  shines  through 
them,  making  the  matter  of  authorship  a  question  of  curious 
scholarship  only.  If  the  written  word  be  truth,  it  matters  little 
who  penned  it,  or  when  it  was  penned. 

His  letter  to  the  Christians  at  Colosse  was  perhaps  written 
about  this  time.  The  city  was  in  the  province  of  Asia,  in  the 
wide  valley  of  the  Lycus  River,  under  the  shadow  of  the  Cadmus 
Mountains,  about  half-way  on  the  road  from  Pisidian  Antioch  to 
Ephesus.  When  Paul  was  at  Ephesus  two  years  before,  he  and 
his  friends  travelled  up  the  wide  valleys,  spreading  the  gospel,  and 
the  congregation  at  Colosse  would  be  started  about  that  time  by 
Epaphras,  meeting  in  the  house  of  his  friend  Philemon.  Epaphras 
of  Colosse  was  now  with  him,  and  Onesiraus  the  slave,  who 
could  tell  him  about  the  people  ;  and  as  Tychicus  was  returning  to 
Ephesus,  he  was  to  deliver  the  letter  as  he  passed  through 
Colosse  on  his  way.  In  it  he  mentions  the  names  of  Christians 
in  Laodicea,  twenty  miles  farther  down,  and  in  Hierapolis,  the 
largest  of  the  three  cities,  on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  and  all 
in  that  vast  valley  of  orchards,  vineyards,  and  rich  pastures. 

Once  more  Timothy  is  his  faithful  clerk,  and  other  friends 
would  be  there  listening,  and  the  soldiers  passing  to  and  fro 
would  wonder  what  these  Jews  were  about  as  they  sat  in 
silence   together  on  their   mats   in  the  cool   shade,   while   one 


WEITING   WITH    A    CHAINED    HAND.  443 

spoke  and  one  wrote.  If  the  officer  of  the  guard  passed,  he 
would  ask  what  was  being  written,  and  it  would  be  read  to  him 
before  he  would  allow  it  to  go  outside  the  walls.  You  have 
already  had  most  of  this  letter,  which  you  will  read  in  full  in 
your  Bible,  as  I  shall  only  now  refer  to  the  narrative  parts. 

He  joins  Timothy  in  it,  calling  him  a  brother,  and  tells  them 
that  he  is  thanking  God  because  of  their  faith  in  Jesus,  and 
praying  for  them.  The  gospel  is  bearing  fruit  all  over  the  world, 
and  he  rejoiced  from  the  first  day  he  heard  of  them  from  Epaphras. 
They  used  to  live  bad  lives,  but  the  power  of  Jesus  drew  them 
near  to  God,  and  they  were  not  to  be  moved  away  from  the 
gospel  which  they  heard.  He  wished  them  to  know  how  he 
worked  for  them,  and  those  at  Laodicea,  and  all  who  had  not 
Been  him ;  for  although  his  body  was  absent,  his  thoughts  were 
with  them.  They  were  to  beware  of  men  who  would  try  to  spoil 
their  faith  with  philosophy  and  rules  of  men  and  not  of  Jesus. 

They  were  to  put  off  their  old  life,  and  put  on  the  new ;  and 
after  referring  to  a  number  of  the  sayings  of  Jesus,  he  bade  them 
keep  the  peace  of  Jesus  in  their  hearts,  and  let  His  words  dwell 
richly  in  them.  And  he  sent  special  messages  to  wives  and 
husbands,  children  and  parents,  slaves  and  masters,  who  were 
to  treat  their  slaves  justly.  They  were  to  pray  for  him  in 
prison,  that  a  door  might  be  opened,  and  that  he  might  preach 
the  gospel  as  he  ought.  Tychicus,  the  bearer  of  the  letter,  and 
Onesimus  the  slave,  would  tell  them  all  about  his  state,  and  what 
was  being  done.  Aristarclms  was  in  prison  with  him,  and  they 
might  expect  a  visit  from  Mark  and  Justus,  who  were  believers  in 
circumcision,  but  had  been  a  great  comfort  to  him.  Epaphras  of 
their  own  city  (who  had  worked  hard  for  it,  and  Laodicea,  and 
Hierapolis)  and  Luke  and  Demas  sent  greetings  along  with  his. 

The  letter  was  to  be  read  to  the  congregation  at  Colosse,  and 
sent  to  Laodicea,  to  be  read  to  the  congregation  in  ]S"ymphas's 
house,  in  exchange  for  the  letter  he  had  sent  them,  but  which  has 
been  lost.  With  a  friendly  word  to  Archippus  the  letter  ended. 
It  would  then  be  leisurely  read  over  and  corrected.  When 
Timothy  had  copied  it,  this  is  how  Paul  signed  it.  Taking  the 
reed  pen  in  his  hand,  he  wrote  for  a  time,  and  when  Timothy 
looked,  this  is  what  he  had  written  at  the  end  of  the  long  yellow 
roll  :— 

"I  Paul  greet  you  with  mine  own  hand.  Remember  my 
chains.  Grace  be  with  you."  They  would  not  forget  that  the 
living  hand  that  wrote  these  few  words  had  a  brass  chain  hanging 
from  it. 

He  had  many  friends  about  him,  and  the  letter  shows  that  he 


444  SENDING   OUT   MESSENGERS. 

was  not  cast  down;  and  we  note  that  the  youthful  Timothy  is 
still  with  him,  and  also  Mark,  who  would  make  up  for  the  past 
by  keeping  by  his  side  all  through  his  coming  trials.  Luke,  too, 
was  there,  making  notes  and  gathering  material  for  his  life  of 
Paul  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  and  for  that  greater  book  of 
the  sayings  and  life  of  Jesus  in  the  Gospel  of  Luke. 


Sending  out  Messeng^ers. 

C^SAREA:    AGED    50-60. 

FROM  the  castle  walls  at  Caesarea  the  blue  Mediterranean 
could  be  seen  stretching  far  away  to  the  west,  where  the 
white  clouds  touched  the  horizon,  and  a  purple  island  burned 
red  in  the  setting  sun,  when  the  sky  was  tilled  with  gold  flakes 
and  crimson  leaves.  Paul's  heart  went  out  from  his  barrack  prison 
to  the  cities  of  Asia — Colosse,  Laodicea,  Hierapolis,  Ephesus — 
when  the  sun  dipped  nightly  into  the  western  sea.  The  ships 
that  crowded  the  harbour  were  from  Corinth,  Troy,  Tyre,  Ephesus, 
Cyprus,  the  isles  of  the  ^gean,  and  a  liundred  other  ports  known 
to  him.  Heaping  their  food-stuffs  and  merchandise  upon  the  wharfs, 
they  spread  their  white  sails  and  disappeared  again  over  the  pearly 
horizon.  But  they  also  brought  passenger^  and  pilgrims  for  the 
festivals  in  Jerusalem,  and  bands  of  soldiers  for  the  Roman  garri- 
son, and  some  friends  for  Paul  the  prisoner,  who  brought  him 
news  of  how  his  far-off"  congregations  fared — sometimes  good, 
sometimes  bad  news. 

He  could  no  longer  travel  over  land  and  sea,  but  he  could 
send  letters  and  messengers.  Having  written  to  the  Christians 
of  Laodicea  and  Colosse,  he  wrote  to  his  friends  in  Ephesus.  The 
letter  is  the  same  in  many  places  as  that  to  Colosse,  but  that  is 
not  surprising.  Writing  two  letters  about  the  same  time,  and  on 
the  same  subject,  to  different  people,  the  strangeness  would  be  if 
they  were  not  similar.  We  do  not  know  who  was  his  clerk — per- 
haps Timothy  again.  And  as  I  have  already  referred  to  most  of 
this  letter,  I  shall  sketch  it  only  lightly,  leaving  you  to  read  it  all 
in  your  Bible. 

He  rejoiced  to  hear  of  their  faith  in  Jesus,  and  kindness  to 
other  Christians,  and  prayed  that  God  would  give  them  a  spirit  of 
wisdom,  and  reveal  His  will  to  them.  The  Christians  of  Jeru- 
salem called  all  foreign  Christians  "the  uncircumcised,"  and 
themselves  "  the  circumcised ; "  but  there  was  no  reason  for  this 


SENDING   OUT    MESSENGERS.  445 

distinction,  kept  up  like  tlie  white  marble  screen  in  the  temple, 
past  which  none  but  Jews  might  go,  for  Jesus  had  broken  it 
down,  making  all  men  alike. 

At  one  time  they  worshipped  idols,  and  were  without  God, 
but  now  they  were  brought  near  in  Jesus.  He  was  a  prisoner 
for  telling  foreigners  that  God  was  not  the  God  of  Jews  only,  but 
of  all  men ;  but  they  were  not  to  lose  heart  because  of  his  trials. 
As  a  prisoner  for  Jesus'  sake,  he  begged  them  to  live  worthy  of 
their  Master.  And  his  eyes  may  have  been  looking  thoughtfully 
upon  the  waves  of  the  restless  sea  beyond  the  bay,  as  he  bade 
them  not  be  tossed  to  and  fro,  and  carried  about  with  every  wind 
of  false  teaching.  He  knew  the  people  to  whom  he  was  writing, 
and  bade  them  avoid  anger,  and  bad  talk,  and  drunkenness,  and 
speak  the  truth,  and  steal  no  more,  but  work  with  their  hands, 
for  they  were  now  children  of  the  light. 

Jesus  proclaimed  the  truth  that  men  and  women,  husband 
and  wife,  were  equal  in  His  eyes ;  but  these  men  of  Ephesus  were 
accustomed  to  look  upon  their  wives  as  their  slaves  and  servants, 
and  were  not  disposed  to  grant  them  the  same  religious  rights 
which  they  took  to  themselves ;  and  so  they  kept  their  women  in 
the  background,  and  Paul  gave  some  countenance  to  this.  Had 
he  been  married,  he  might  possibly  have  written  differently. 
Wives  were  to  be  in  subjection  to  their  husbands,  as  to  God; 
and  as  Jesus  is  over  all  Christians,  so  was  the  husband  to  be 
over  the  wife  in  everything. 

At  the  end  of  the  letter  he  called  upon  them  to  be  strong,  and 
gave  a  description  of  a  Roman  soldier  putting  on  his  different 
pieces  of  armour — a  thing  which  he  saw  every  morning  done  by 
hundreds  in  the  barracks,  where  the  clash  and  rattle  of  brass 
armour,  shields,  pikes,  swords,  helmets,  breastplates,  and  greaves 
was  never  out  of  his  ears.  It  is  a  description  that  suited  his 
fighting  temper,  but  it  differs  from  the  spirit  of  his  Master,  who 
said,  "  Blessed  are  the  peacemakers,  for  they  shall  be  called  the 
children  of  God."  He  asked  their  prayers  for  the  man  in  a  chain, 
that  his  mouth  might  be  opened  to  speak  the  gospel  boldly.  His 
trial  before  a  Roman  judge  was  ever  looming  like  a  ball  of  fire 
in  the  sky,  surrounded  with  uncertainty ;  and  Tychicus,  by  whom 
he  was  sending  the  letter,  would  tell  them  all  about  his  state  and 
affairs,  and  comfort  their  hearts. 

The  letter  would  be  read  over  to  the  friends  who  came  to  see 
him  in  the  barracks,  and  copied  out  carefully,  to  be  sealed  in  a 
strong  cover,  and  given  to  Tychicus  of  Ephesus,  who  would  carry 
it  on  his  voyage  home.  And  in  the  city  of  the  great  white 
temple  it  would  be  read  in  house  and  meeting,  until  it  was  torn 


446      A  WELCOME  TO  THE  NEW  GOVERNOR. 

and  tattered,  and  copied  again  and  again,  or  it  would  never  have 
come  down  to  us. 


A  Welcome  to  the  New  Governor. 

C^SAREA:    AGED   50-60.       . 

TWICE  Paul  saw  the  feathery  snows  of  winter  powder  the 
courtyard  of  Herod's  castle,  and  sudden  gales  that  lashed 
the  sea  until  it  was  a  whirl  of  smoking  foam.  Twice  under  blue 
skies  he  saw  the  blossom  white  upon  the  almond  tree,  red  upon 
the  apple,  and  the  red-legged  storks  coming  from  the  far  south 
in  a  trail  along  the  sky,  to  build  their  nests  and  rear  their  young 
on  tree-tops  and  house  corners.  His  friends  told  him  of  the  in- 
trigues of  his  enemies  with  Felix  to  keep  him  a  prisoner,  and  his 
failure  to  bring  up  his  case  again  told  too  plainly  of  their  success. 
Two  years  had  gone  since  that  fateful  day  when  he  went  up  to  the 
golden  temple  and  was  seized  there.  His  friends  asked  Felix 
to  set  him  free,  but  he  would  neither  yield  to  them  nor  to  his 
enemies,  who  wished  him  put  to  death.  Like  a  careless,  heart- 
less man,  he  took  a  sort  of  middle  course. 

As  time  passed,  Felix  got  into  deeper  conflict  with  the  chief  of 
the  Jews,  and  the  Zealots  and  dagger  men  kept  Jerusalem  and  all 
Judea  in  a  state  of  disorder,  raiding  and  killing  whoever  they 
hated.  Agrippa,  the  brother  of  the  princess  Drusilla,  was  em- 
powered by  the  emperor  to  manage  the  temple  and  appoint  the 
high  priest ;  and  he  put  down  Ananias,  and  put  up  Ishmael  in  his 
place,  another  proud  Sadducee. 

We  are  not  told  what  Paul  said  in  his  many  conversations  with 
the  Christians  who  came  to  visit  him  in  the  castle  during  these 
two  years,  but  we  know  what  his  advice  was  to  the  Christians  of 
Rome,  and  it  would  be  the  same  to  those  in  the  Roman  garrison 
of  Csesarea. 

"  Let  every  one  obey  those  in  higher  power  :  for  there  is  no 
power  without  Cod,  and  these  are  appointed  of  Cod.  Whoever 
resists  them,  resists  the  order  of  Cod  ;  and  they  who  do  so  shall  be 
punished.  Rulers  are  not  feared  by  doers  of  good,  but  by  the 
doers  of  ill.  And  if  you  wish  to  have  no  fear  of  the  ruler,  do 
what  is  good,  and  he  will  praise  you :  for  he  is  a  minister  of  Cod 
for  good  to  you.  But  if  you  are  doing  what  is  bad,  be  afraid ;  for 
he  does  not  bear  a  sword  for  nothing,  but  is  a  minister  of  Cod  to 
punish  them  that  do  what  is  bad.  Therefore  you  must  obey,  not 
only  because  of  the  punishment,  but  as  a  duty  from  your  con- 


A  WELCOME  TO  THE  NEW  GOVERNOR.       447 

science.  For  tliis  reason  you  must  also  pay  the  taxes  :  for  the 
collectors  are  ministers  of  God's  service,  attending  always  to  this 
very  thing.  Give  to  all  what  is  due  :  taxes  and  payments  to  some, 
and  honour  and  respect  to  others." 

After  Felix  had  been  governor  for  eight  years,  during  which 
his  disputes  with  the  leading  Jews  were  so  frequent  that  they 
sent  deputations  to  Rome  to  complain  to  the  emperor,  one  day, 
to  their  great  delight,  the  news  came  that  they  were  to  have 
another  governor ;  and  then  the  leading  Jews  threatened  Felix, 
saying  that  when  he  left  they  would  send  men  to  Rome  to  tell 
the  emperor  of  his  crimes  and  get  him  punished.  This  made  him 
very  angry,  and  somewhat  afraid ;  and  he  determined  to  try  to 
please  them  before  he  sailed.  One  of  the  things  he  did  was  to 
leave  Paul  a  prisoner  for  the  next  governor  to  deal  with,  and  this 
pleased  the  Jewish  leaders  very  well.  Spreading  white  sails,  he 
left  Csesarea  with  his  beautiful  princess ;  and  Fortius  Festus,  the 
new  governor,  and  a  much  better  man,  sailed  in. 

He  also  lived  in  Herod's  castle,  and  was  proclaimed  governor 
of  Judea  as  he  sat  in  his  chair  of  white  ivory  on  the  square 
of  coloured  pavement,  overshadowed  by  the  yellow  awning,  while 
Roman  spears  kept  back  the  throng,  and  Roman  helmets  and 
breastplates  gleamed  behind  him.  Paul  heard  the  shouting  of 
the  soldiers  and  the  people  in  the  streets  when  the  new  governor 
was  proclaimed,  for  the  pavement  was  a  part  of  the  castle  buildings. 
And  there  were  feasting  and  revelry  in  the  gilded  halls  of  the 
castle,  and  games  in  the  racecourse  and  circus,  and  singing  and 
drunkenness  in  the  wine-shops  and  the  barrack-yard,  for  every 
one  hoped  for  better  things  from  the  new  governor.  And 
amongst  those  who  hoped  were  Paul  and  his  friends,  who  thought 
that  his  freedom  was  now  near  at  hand. 

After  some  inquiries  into  public  affairs  at  Csesarea,  which 
would  include  the  prisoners  at  the  castle,  Festus,  with  a  large 
troop  of  horse  and  foot  soldiers,  rode  up  the  paved  way  into  the 
hills,  that  he  might  make  an  impressive  entry  into  the  turbulent 
city  of  Jerusalem.  The  shrill  sound  of  brass  trumpets  would 
tell  the  people  of  his  approach,  and  they  would  crowd  their  flat 
house-tops  and  narrow  windows  as  he  rode  through  the  low  arch 
in  the  city  wail,  and  along  the  narrow  streets,  with  fierce 
trumpets  pealing  before  him,  up  to  Herod's  palace  on  the  top  of 
Mount  Zion,  there  to  receive  the  deputations  of  priests  and 
leading  citizens,  who  might  wish  to  bring  presents  and  secure  his 
favour.  Surrounded  by  his  guards  and  officers,  he  appeared 
before  the  people,  sitting  in  the  white  chair  of  justice,  on 
the   pavement  of  coloured   tiles,  where  Pontius  Pilate  sat,  now 


448       A  WELCOME  TO  THE  NEW  GOVERNOR. 

almost  thirty  years  ago.  And  Ishmael  the  high  priest  and  the 
leading  Jews  had  many  complaints  to  make  to  the  new  gover- 
nor, and  favours  to  seek ;  and  one  was  that  Paul,  a  Jewish 
criminal  in  prison  at  Csesarea,  should  be  sent  for  to  Jeru- 
salem, and  sentenced  to  death  without  delay. 

"  Away  with  him  !  away  with  him  !  He  deserves  not  to  live  !  " 
rose  from  the  throng  of  temple  guards  and  slaves  of  the  priests  in 
the  background.  The  dagger  men  were  again  plotting,  for  they 
had  resolved  to  watch  for  Paul,  and  stab  him  as  he  came  up 
through  the  wild  glens  and  hills.  If  Lysias  the  captain  were 
there,  he  would  warn  the  new  governor  of  what  happened  two 
years  ago.  This  rabble  of  fierce  black-eyed  Jews,  calling  out  for 
a  man's  blood  without  trial,  was  revolting  to  his  sense  of  duty 
as  a  Roman  judge,  and  Festus  replied  to  their  clamour  with 
dignity. 

"It  is  not  the  custom  of  Romans,"  he  said,  "to  give  up  any 
man  for  punishment  before  he  has  met  his  accusers  face  to  face, 
and  has  had  an  o])portunity  to  make  his  defence."  Festus  had 
a  wise  way  of  asking  advice  of  those  who  knew  better  than 
himself,  and  we  can  imagine  him  talking  in  low  tones  with  the 
short-haired  Lysias,  for  the  chief  captain  himself  could  not  have 
given  a  better  answer. 

"  He  is  being  kept  a  prisoner  at  Csesarea,  and  I  am  about  to 
return  thither  shortly.  Let  them  that  are  of  power  amongst  you 
come  down  with  me,  and  accuse  the  man  there,  if  there  is  any- 
thing wrong  in  him." 

Ishmael  and  his  friends  did  not  relish  this  courteous  invita- 
tion to  accompany  him  to  the  seaside  and  see  justice  done  to 
Paul,  but  they  had  to  express  their  thanks.  To  Csesarea  they 
must  go,  if  they  w^ould  taste  Paul's  blood,  although  they  urged 
Festus  that  the  trial  would  be  much  better  done  in  Jerusalem ; 
but  he  would  not  yield. 

After  spending  about  ten  days  there,  during  which  the 
governor  would  be  taken  to  the  roof  of  the  temple  cloisters,  that 
he  might  look  down  into  the  wide  courts,  and  see  the  worshippers 
crowding  like  bees  about  the  large  white  altar,  and  moving  across 
the  coloured  pavements  in  the  sunshine,  and  hear  the  peals  of  the 
priests'  silver  trumpets  and  the  shouts  of  the  Levite  choir,  he 
would  go  down  and  visit  the  barracks  of  the  Roman  soldiers,  and 
the  convenient  passage  by  which  they. could  run  in  a  few  seconds 
from  the  castle  of  Antonia  into  the  very  midst  of  the  temple ; 
and  perhaps  Lysias  would  show  him  where  and  how  he  had 
rescued  Paul  from  the  fury  of  his  own  countrymen. 

Again  the  troop  of  horsemen  clattered  over  the  cobble-stones 


AN  AEROW  OVER  THEIR  HEADS.         449 

of  the  streets,  with  arms  gleaming  in  the  sun,  and  little  flags 
fluttering  from  poles ;  and  again  the  footmen,  with  their  leather- 
bound  feet,  shouldered  their  poles  with  little  bronze  images  of  the 
emperor,  and  eagles  and  balls,  which  they  had  left  outside  the 
city  walls,  and  tramped  with  weary  steps  down  the  long  miles  of 
hill,  gorge,  and  plain,  towards  Csesarea  by  the  sea.  They  were 
followed  by  a  very  different  class  of  men — priests  in  their  white 
robes ;  members  of  the  council  in  their  cloaks  of  blue  and  purple, 
with  many  a  broad  stripe  ;  scribes  with  ink-bottle  at  girdle  and  roll 
of  paper,  the  books  of  the  law  forming  a  load  in  themselves ;  and 
all  riding  upon  thin-legged  mules  and  long-eared  asses,  with  an 
escort  of  temple  guards  with  club  and  dagger,  for  the  robbers 
did  not  love  priests  or  reverence  scribes. 


An  Arrow  over  their  Heads. 

C^SAREA:    AGED  50-60. 

IN  his  white  ivory  chair,  in  the  midst  of  the  coloured  pavement, 
raised  above  the  people,  and  shaded  by  an  awning  from  the 
hot  sunshine,  sat  Festus  in  the  early  morning,  outside  the  palace ; 
for,  true  to  his  word,  he  was  ready  to  hear  Paul's  case  on  the 
very  next  day  after  the  leading  Jews  came  down  from  Jeru- 
salem. Wearing  the  white  cloak  with  the  deep  purple  border, 
his  two  rod  and  axe  men  standing  behind  him,  his  adviser 
near  to  advise  him  on  the  customs  of  the  Jewish  people  and  the 
Roman  law,  Festus  was  ready — a  soldier,  not  a  lawyer. 

There,  too,  sat  Islimael  and  his  friends,  apart  on  their  bright 
mats,  with  temple  guards  round  them  to  keep  off  the  touch  of 
strangers,  and  a  crowd  of  Jews  gathered  up  from  Caesarea,  ready 
to  shout  when  they  got  the  sign.  For  they  expected  to  influence 
the  new  governor  with  shouts  and  noise,  as  they  had  done  Felix ; 
but  they  did  not  know  the  man  who  sat  frowning  upon  them. 
There  were  faces,  too,  in  that  crowd  that  we  know,  some  anxious, 
some  eager  and  confident — Luke  the  physician ;  the  young  man 
Timothy,  of  Lystra  ;  Mark,  from  Jerusalem  ;  and  Philip — hoping 
for  great  things  from  the  new  governor. 

When  the  well-known  figure  of  the  grey-haired  man  in  striped 
kerchief  and  brown  cloak  appeared,  walking  chained  to  his  com- 
panion soldier,  as  he  went  forward  to  the  place  of  the  accused, 
there  were  prayers  in  the  hearts  of  the  Christians ;  but  from  the 
Jews  came  murmurs  of  suppressed  hatred  and  disgust,  as  they 
called  here  and  there,  "  Away  with  him  !  away  with  him  ! " 

(1,040)  29 


450         AN  AEROW  OVER  THEIR  HEADS. 

"  What  is  your  accusation  ? "  asked  Festus. 

They  had  found  an  advocate  a  failure  on  the  last  occasion,  and 
had  taken  the  governor's  advice  to  bring  men  of  power  to  speak ; 
aDH  one  after  another  they  stood  up  and  spoke,  accusing  Paul  of 
many  false  and  grievous  charges.  When  they  were  done,  Festus 
told  them  to  prove  their  charges  in  the  usual  way  by  witnesses ; 
but  they  were  not  able  to  do  so.  Turning  to  Paul,  he  asked  what 
he  had  to  say  to  all  that  they  had  said  about  him ;  and  his  answer 
was  ready, — 

"  Neither  against  the  religious  law  of  the  Jews,  nor  against 
the  temple  rules,  nor  against  the  emperor  Caesar,  have  I  done 
anything  at  all."  And  then  he  went  on  to  speak  of  the  Christians 
and  their  faith  in  Jesus,  who  had  died  and  risen  again,  and  was 
alive. 

"  He  is  dead  ! "  shouted  a  Jew  excitedly. 

"  He  is  alive  ! "  was  Paul's  grave  reply. 

"  Away  with  him  !  He  ought  not  to  live  any  longer ! "  came 
from  Jewish  voices  in  the  close-packed  crowd. 

Festus  was  perplexed.  The  accusation  of  the  talkative  Jews 
was  not  what  he  had  expected.  There  was  nothing  seriously 
urged  about  breaking  the  Roman  law.  It  seemed  to  be  a  hot 
dispute  about  their  religion  which  he  could  never  settle.  He 
might  let  these  Jews  settle  it  in  their  own  council,  for  he  had 
power  to  do  that. 

"  This  man  has  done  nothing  worthy  of  death,"  he  said  in  a 
loud  voice ;  and  the  crowd  became  silent  with  expectation.  The 
leading  Jews  may  have  said  that  in  Jerusalem  they  could  get 
plenty  of  witnesses ;  and  Festus  was  willing  to  please  them,  although 
he  would  not  trust  Paul  entirely  into  their  power.  An  idea  occurred 
to  him.  He  would  still  keep  the  case  in  his  own  hands,  and  yet 
please  them. 

"  Are  you  willing  to  go  up  to  Jerusalem,  and  there  be  judged 
about  these  things  before  me  ? "  he  asked  the  prisoner. 

Paul  paused  to  think.  For  two  years  he  had  been  looking 
forward  to  this  day,  when  he  would  stand  publicly  before  a  Roman 
judge,  to  receive  Roman  justice,  according  to  Roman  law ;  and  he 
knew — for  he  had  been  told  by  many — that  by  the  Roman  law  he 
was  entitled  to  preach  Christianity  anywhere  and  everywhere  in 
the  empire.  He  had  hoped  and  longed  for  a  judgment  which 
would  fix,  once  for  all,  that  men  had  the  right  to  be  Christians 
in  all  parts  of  the  Roman  world.  The  sudden  proposal  of  Festus 
was  that  he  should  go  back  to  Jerusalem  and  be  tried  by  the 
Jewish  council,  with  Festus  present.  Tried  by  the  Sanhedrim  on 
a  religious    question,    with    the   governor   there  to  enforce  their 


AN  AREOW  OVER  THEIR  HEADS.         451 

sentence !  Tried  as  Jesus  and  as  Stephen  were !  If  Festus 
would  not  try  the  cause  of  Christianity,  a  higher  than  he  would 
do  it.  Long  before  that  day  he  may  have  made  up  his  mind  on 
the  course  he  would  take  if  he  did  not  get  justice.  He  was 
excited  when  he  began  his  reply  to  the  governor's  question,  and 
his  excitement  grew  with  each  word. 

"I  am  standing  before  the  judgment  seat  of  Rome,  where  I 
ought  to  be  judged.  I  have  done  no  wrong  to  the  Jews,  as  you 
know  very  well.  If  I  am  a  criminal,  if  I  have  done  anything 
that  deserves  death,  I  am  ready  to  die :  but  if  none  of  these 
things  are  true  of  which  they  accuse  me,  no  one  can  give  me  up  to 
them.     /  appeal  to  Ccesar." 

The  fateful  words  were  uttered — noble  words  that,  like  a 
winged  arrow,  flew  high  over  the  head  of  the  white-robed  high  priest 
and  his  frowning  followers,  hitting  a  mark  above  the  head  of  even 
Festus  himself.  Well  might  Festus  start,  and  the  priests  stare, 
for  this  oppressed  and  despised  Jew  had  pronounced  the  greatest 
words  known  to  the  Roman  law — words  that  could  raise  the 
poorest  Roman  citizen  to  a  level  with  the  best.  As  the  American 
President  is  open  to  the  approach  of  every  American  citizen,  so  the 
emperor  of  Rome  was  open  to  the  cry  of  every  Ptoman  who  called 
for  his  protection  through  the  law. 

'^/appeal  to  Coisar  f  Festus  had  not  had  many  such  appeals 
in  his  day.  This  cultured  Jew  knew  his  rights  as  a  Roman 
citizen  ;  and  turning  to  his  advisers,  Festus  talked  with  them,  while 
silence  fell  on  the  crowd  of  upturned  faces  beneath  him.  Turning 
again  to  Paul,  with  a  firm-set  mouth,  for  his  challenge,  "No  man 
can  give  me  up  to  them,"  had  rung  sharp  upon  his  ear,  and  as  if 
to  tell  Paul  that  he  had  made  a  great  mistake,  he  delivered  what 
sounded  like  a  sentence, — 

"  You  have  appealed  to  Caesar.      To  Caesar  you  shall  go." 

The  appeal  was  granted,  the  die  cast.  The  cause  of  Christianity 
was  to  go  before  the  highest  court  in  the  world.  But  Paul's 
friends  did  not  know  whether  he  had  triumphed  or  failed.  His 
enemies  thought  his  appeal  was  a  farce,  and  would  end  in  nothing. 
His  friends  did  not  know  what  it  would  end  in.  Paul  believed 
the  emperor  would  not  go  against  the  open  law^s  of  Rome,  and 
that  he  could  not  fail  to  succeed  in  securing  liberty  for  all 
Christians,  He  looked  forward  to  Rome  and  freedom.  Again 
the  Roman  judge  gave  orders  that  he  was  to  be  indulgently 
treated  until  he  could  be  sent  to  Rome,  for  he  was  a  Roman 
citizen,  and  as  far  as  Festus  saw,  he  was  guilty  of  no  breach  of 
the  law. 

But  what  troubled   the  governor  was,  that  in  his  report  to 


452  THE    LAST    JEWISH    KINGLET. 

Rome  he  would  be  quite  unable  to  say  what  ill  this  man  had 
done,  or  even  of  what  breach  of  the  law  he  was  accused. 


The   Last  Jewish   Kinglet. 

C^SAREA  :    AGED  50-60. 

PAUL  was  a  privileged  prisoner  in  the  castle,  but  his  soul 
yearned  for  freedom,  for  there  were  many  hands  held  out  to 
him,  and  voices  calling  from  the  ends  of  the  earth.  By  appealing 
to  Rome,  he  believed  he  had  cut  the  tangled  knot  of  the  Jaw's  delay; 
but  the  expense  would  be  great.  He  would  have  to  pay  money  to 
Festus  for  pledges  and  charges,  and  pay  his  own  passage-money 
and  food  from  Caesarea  to  Rome,  and  also  that  of  his  soldier-guard. 
Poor  men  could  appeal,  but  few  could  carry  it  out.  Paul  was  not 
now  poor.  And  some  of  his  friends  resolved  to  go  with  him,  but 
it  was  not  to  be  immediately. 

For  weeks  after  the  return  of  Festus  the  castle  and  the  city 
of  Caesarea  were  in  a  stir  of  rejoicing  over  the  new  governor. 
People  of  importance  from  all  the  towns  up  and  down  the 
country  came  to  visit  him,  and  say  how  glad  they  were,  although 
it  was  seldom  true.  Among  those  who  came  and  spent  a  holi- 
day of  feasting  and  games  in  the  Roman  capital  was  Agrippa, 
the  brother  of  the  beautiful  princess  Drusilla,  who  was  a  little 
king  in  the  north,  round  about  Gennesaret.  And  he  brought  his 
sister  Bernice,  a  clever,  beautiful  woman,  who  had  great  power 
over  him,  but  who  hated  Drusilla  for  being  so  young  and  charm- 
ing. They  lived  in  Ca3sarea  Pliilippi,  at  the  end  of  the  blue  lake, 
to  which  Roman  officers  and  Jewish  nobles  came  when  they 
wished  hot  baths  and  a  gay  holiday,  for  it  was  a  very  fashionable 
place. 

With  much  pomp  and  show,  riding  on  richly-harnessed  horses, 
and  accompanied  by  a  number  of  their  chiefs  and  slaves,  armed, 
and  dressed  in  tunics  of  red,  and  yellow,  and  green,  with  noise 
of  cow-horns,  hand-drums,  and  clashing  cymbals,  bearing  little 
flags  on  thin  long  spears,  and  bringing  a  present  on  a  decor- 
ated camel,  they  had  come  over  the  mountains  of  Galilee,  and 
along  the  Roman  road  by  the  edge  of  the  sea,  to  Csesarea. 
Agrippa  was  the  only  remaining  Jewish  king,  and  a  very  small 
one ;  but  he  was  the  great-grandson  of  the  great  Herod,  ruling 
by  Roman  favour  till  his  death,  when  they  would  allow  no  more 
Jewish  kinglets.     And  Festus  ordered  out  his  foreign  soldiers 


THE    LAST   JEWISH    KINGLET.  453 

with  gleaming  helmets,  his  officers  in  purple  tunics  and  breast- 
plates of  bronze,  with  eagles  and  emperors  on  staffs,  to  receive 
with  great  ceremony  this  Jewish  kinglet.  And  Bernice,  dressed 
in  her  richest  dress,  with  jewelled  arms,  would  be  carried  into  the 
city,  on  a  shaded  couch,  by  black  slaves,  as  if  she  were  too  fine  a 
thing  to  walk  or  feel  the  sun. 

They  were  the  governor's  guests  in  the  castle — entertained 
with  games  and  public  shows  in  the  day,  and  with  feasting  in  the 
golden  halls  of  Herod  at  night.  And  in  the  course  of  their 
talking  of  public  affairs,  the  governor  told  the  king  and  the 
princess  the  curious  case  of  the  prisoner  left  on  his  hands  by 
Felix,  their  own  brother-in-law.  When  he  went  up  to  Jerusalem, 
the  chief  Jews  disgusted  him  by  shouting  for  his  death.  He  told 
them,  too,  of  the  strange  scene  at  Csesarea,  when  they  again 
clamoured  for  his  death ;  and  that  the  prisoner  had  defended 
himself  ably,  and  appealed  to  Caesar,  although  the  dispute  was  all 
about  their  religion,  and  one  called  Jesus,  who  had  been  put  to 
death  by  Pontius  Pilate  in  Jerusalem,  but  whom  the  prisoner  said 
was  alive.  He  granted  the  appeal,  and  would  have  to  send  him 
to  Pome  ;  but  he  did  not  know  what  to  say  in  his  report  about 
him,  for  he  was  guilty  of  no  crime.  The  story  interested  Agrippa 
so  much  that  he  said  he  would  like  to  hear  this  man  speak. 

"  To-morrow  you  will  hear  him,"  Festus  answered  ;  for  he 
wished  to  please  his  guests,  and  the  Jewish  prince  might  be  able 
to  help  him  with  his  knowledge  of  Jewish  aflairs.  Next  day 
Agrippa  came  w4th  a  show  of  royal  splendour,  bringing  the  prin- 
cess Bernice,  borne  by  her  slaves,  and  his  chief  officers,  escorted 
by  their  own  followers,  and  they  went  into  one  of  the  large  rooms 
of  the  castle.  It  was  an  entertainment,  and,  to  please  the  king 
and  his  sister,  Festus  invited  all  the  officers  of  his  different  regi- 
ments who  cared  to  come,  and  the  chief  men  of  the  city,  to  hear 
the  Jew  in  the  brown  cloak. 

The  governor  entered  the  hall,  accompanied  by  the  king  and 
his  sister,  bowing  them  to  luxurious  cushioned  couches  on  his 
right  hand,  as  he  took  his  place  upon  the  judge's  ivory  seat  and 
ordered  the  prisoner  to  be  brought.  Paul  would  receive  warning 
of  this  meeting  with  Agrippa  and  Bernice,  so  that  when  he  came 
in,  chained  to  his  familiar  soldier,  he  was  not  unprepared.  Stand- 
ing in  his  Jewish  dress  of  loose  woollen  tunic  bound  with  a  soft 
girdle,  his  arms  and  feet  bare,  his  grey  hair  covered  with  a  bright 
kerchief  that  fell  backward  over  his  shoulders,  it  was  as  if  he 
were  again  on  his  trial.  When  he  raised  his  bright  grey  eyes,  he 
saw  above  him  no  king  in  scarlet  with  a  gold  crown,  but  only 
what  might  have  been  two  Roman  nobles,  in  flowing  robes,  with 


454  "PAUL,    ARE    YOU    MAD?" 

close-clipped  hair,  and  a  Roman  lady,  unveiled  and  jewelled, 
reclining  among  cushions — the  famous  Jewish  princess  herself, 
whose  statue  he  saw  in  Athens. 

"  King  Agrippa,  and  all  who  are  here,"  said  Festus,  as  he 
pointed  in  a  not  unfriendly  way  to  Paul,  whose  enemies  had  not 
heen  invited,  "this  is  the  man  about  whom  the  crowd  of  Jews 
came  to  me,  both  here  and  at  Jerusalem,  shouting  that  he  ought 
not  to  live  any  longer.  And  I  found  that  he  had  done  nothing 
worthy  of  death.  But  he  himself  appealed  to  the  emperor  Csesar ; 
and  I  granted  his  appeal,  and  will  send  him  to  Rome.  But  I 
have  no  sure  thing  that  I  can  put  into  my  written  report  about 
him  to  the  emperor.  And  so  I  have  brought  him  before  you, 
and  especially  before  you.  King  Agrippa,  that,  after  examining 
him  to-day,  I  may  have  something  to  write."  And  he  added  these 
very  common-sense  words  :  "  For  it  seems  unreasonable  to  me,  in 
sending  a  prisoner  to  Rome  for  trial,  not  to  be  able  to  say  what 
charges  are  made  a^^ainst  him." 

There  was  nothing  unkind  in  these  words,  for  Paul  had 
secured  a  friend  in  this  Roman  governor,  as  he  did  in  Lysias,  and 
to  a  certain  extent  also  in  greedy  Felix.  The  meeting  was  ar- 
ranged for  Agrippa,  and  he  now  spoke.  With  the  air  of  a  great 
kin2f,  who  was  conferrinoj  a  favour  on  the  humble  man  before  him, 
he  said  solemnly, — 

"  Paul,  you  are  permitted  to  speak  for  yourself."  He  sank  back 
to  listen,  while  Festus  buried  his  chin  in  his  hand  as  he  watched 
Paul's  face. 


*'PauI,  are  you  Mad?" 

CtEsarea:  aged  50-6O. 

PAUL  was  about  to  address  the  head  of  the  Jewish  race,  who 
knew  all  their  customs,  and  had  lived  much  in  Rome  also. 
He  could  speak  with  confidence,  for  Agrippa  was  not  a  priest  or 
rabbi — perhaps  neither  a  Sadducee  nor  a  Pharisee,  but  a  worldly- 
wise  prince,  who  might  look  impartially  on  a  religious  dispute. 
He  was  glad  of  this  opportunity,  and,  as  was  his  custom,  he 
gravely  held  up  his  hand  to  secure  attention,  looking  round  on 
his  own  friends,  and  on  the  officers  and  citizens,  before  resting  his 
piercing  eyes  on  the  face  of  the  Jewish  king. 

"  I  think  myself  happy,  King  Agrippa,  in  that  I  am  to  make 
my  defence  before  you  to-day  regarding  all  the  things  of  which  I 
am  accused  by  my  countrymen  of  Jerusalem,  and  especially  be- 


"PAUL,    ARE    YOU    MAD?"  455 

cause  all  our  customs  and  questions  are  well  known  to  you.  There- 
fore I  beg  you  to  hear  me  patiently. 

''My  accusers  know  what  has  been  my  way  of  lite  from  my 
youth  up,  for  it  was  spent  from  the  beginning  among  my  own 
countrymen  and  in  Jerusalem.  If  they  were  only  willing  to  speak, 
they  know  well  that  I  have  lived  a  Pharisee,  according  to  the  rules 
of  the  strictest  sect  known  to  our  religion.  I  stand  here  now  to  be 
judged  for  believing  in  the  hope  of  the  promise  made  by  God  to 
our  fathers,  and  which,  earnestly  serving  God  night  and  day  in 
the  temple,  our  people  hope  to  attain."  With  flashing  eyes  and 
upraised  hand  he  declared  once  more  in  a  loud  voice  :  *'  It  is  for 
believing  in  this  hope  that  I  am  accused  by  them,  O  king.  Since 
when  has  it  become  an  incredible  thing  that  God  shoidd  raise  the 
dead  ?  "  This  was  the  secret  of  all  their  bittei-  hatred — his  teach- 
ing that  Jesus  rose  again,  and  that  all  men  had  hope  of  im- 
mortality. And  again,  while  the  beautiful  Bernice  played  with 
her  fan,  he  told  to  that  audience  of  Romans  and  Jews  the  strange 
story  of  the  change  which  Jesus  wrought  in  his  life. 

"  I  used  to  think  that  I  ought  to  do  many  things  against  the 
name  of  Jesus :  and  in  Jerusalem  I  shut  up  many  of  His  followers 
in  prison,  having  received  power  from  the  chiefs  of  the  priests  to 
do  so.  When  they  were  tried  before  the  council,  and  con- 
demned to  die,  I  gave  my  vote  against  them.  I  punished  them 
often  in  the  synagogues  round  about,  trying  to  make  them 
curse  Jesus.  Being  exceedingly  mad  against  His  followers,  I 
followed  them  into  strange  cities,  and  persecuted  them  there." 
Thus,  in  no  sparing  terms,  he  told  the  lurid  story  of  his  fiendish 
days  of  bigotry,  rage,  and  madness  against  Jesus  and  His  trembling 
followers.  That  was  proof  enough  of  his  being  a  zealous  Pharisee. 
He  then  came  to  the  story  of  his  conversion— the  glorious  vision 
which  altered  his  whole  life,  and  bade  him  go  to  foreign  nations. 

"  Wherefore,  O  King  Agrippa,  /  was  not  disobedient  unto  the 
heavenly  vision :  but  declared  first  to  my  countrymen  at  Damas- 
cus, then  in  Jerusalem,  then  throughout  all  the  country  of  Judea, 
then  to  strangers  in  foreign  lands  also,  that  they  should  repent  and 
turn  to  God,  and  live  lives  worthy  of  the  great  change.  And  for 
doing  this  I  was  seized  in  the  temple  by  my  countrymen,  who 
tried  to  kill  me." 

It  was  not  in  being  a  follower  of  Jesus,  but  in  carrying  the 
gospel  to  strangers  and  foreigners,  that  he  had  roused  the  hatred 
of  the  priesthood  ;  and  King  Agrippa  quite  understood  it.  Con- 
tinuing, Paul  said, — 

"By  the  help  of  God,  I  stand  firm  to  this  day,  speaking 
both   to  small    and   great,   and    saying    nothing    but   what   our 


456  "PAUL,    ARE    YOU    MAD?" 

prophets  and  Moses  said  would  happen  :  that  the  Christ  should 
die,  and,  by  rising  from  the  dead,  be  the  first  to  proclaim  the 
light,  both  to  our  own  people  and  to  foreign  nations." 

"  Paul,  you  are  mad,"  exclaimed  Festus  the  Roman,  in  a  loud 
voice  that  rang  through  the  gilded  hall ;  "  much  learning  has 
made  you  mad."  He  had  never  heard  such  wild  stories.  A 
vision  in  which  Paul  saw  Jesus,  who  was  crucified  by  Roman 
soldiers,  and  was  yet  alive ;  and  that  he  had  told  this  in  foreign 
cities — it  was  too  much  for  the  rough  soldier.  He  believed 
rather  that  this  Jewish  rabbi,  with  the  glowing  eyes,  had  deranged 
his  mind  with  excessive  study.  Turning  a  calm  gaze  from  the 
king  to  the  governor,  Paul  answered  in  a  lowered  voice, — 

"  I  am  not  mad,  most  noble  Festus,  but  speak  the  words  of 
truth  and  soberness.  The  king,  to  whom  I  can  speak  freely, 
knows  about  these  things.  I  am  sure  they  are  not  hidden  from 
him ;  for  they  have  not  been  done  in  a  corner."  Then  turning  his 
flashing  eyes  suddenly  back  upon  the  king's  face,  he  asked,  in  a 
voice  quivering  with  earnestness, — 

"  King  Agrippa,  do  you  believe  the  prophets  ? "  He  leaned 
forward  for  an  answer;  for  he  was  ready,  with  the  quickness  of 
a  rabbi,  to  prove  from  these  writings  that  what  he  said  about  the 
Christ  was  true.  Agrippa  hesitated.  He  did  not  like  the  ques- 
tion. Whichever  way  he  answered  he  would  be  caught.  Paul 
saw  the  hesitation,  and  fixed  his  wavering  mind  with  these  glit- 
tering words, — 

"  I  know  that  you  believe."  He  paused  again.  The  king  was 
deeply  moved.  Paul's  words  and  eyes,  so  fixed  and  burning,  made 
him  feel  embarrassed  before  the  cool  governor  and  smiling  sister, 
and  his  answer  showed  the  confusion  of  his  mind. 

"  Paul,"  he  replied,  "  with  but  little  persuasion,  you  would  fain 
make  me  a  Christian."  The  reply  was  quick  as  a  dagger,  for  Paul 
was  skilled  in  such  signs  of  yielding. 

"I  would  to  God,"  he  exclaimed,  "that,  whether  with  little  or 
with  much,  not  only  you,  but  all  who  hear  me  this  day,  might 
become  such  as  I  am,  except  these  chains,"  holding  up  his  hand, 
from  whi©4i  hung  the  light  chain  of  brass.  The  king  could  not 
escape  from  a  man  so  full  of  fire,  but  he  had  had  enough  of  it,  and 
the  hearing  was  nearing  an  end. 


LOOKING    OUT    FOR    A    SHIP.  457 

Looking  out  for  a  Ship. 

C^SAREA:    AGED  50-60. 

PAUL  had  overwhelmed  Agrippa,  and  he  rose  quickly,  for  he 
wished  no  more  of  these  questions.  The  governor  and 
Bernice  rose  too ;  and  that  was  the  sign  for  all  their  friends  and 
officers  to  rise,  for  the  entertainment  was  done.  And  as  his 
companion  soldier  signed  to  him  to  come  away,  Paul,  too,  knew 
that  the  show  was  over.  But  he  had  not  lost  anything  by  plead- 
ing before  the  Jewish  king  and  his  clever  sister.  The  governor 
withdrew  with  his  guests  to  a  private  room  to  eat  ripe  fruit 
and  fine  bread,  sip  cool  wine,  and  talk  over  Paul's  strange  case ; 
and  when  he  asked  the  king  what  he  thought  of  the  matter,  his 
reply  confirmed  liis  own  opinion. 

"  He  has  done  nothing  that  deserves  death  or  imprisonment," 
was  the  king's  answer. 

"  He  might  have  been  set  free  if  he  had  not  appealed  to 
Csesar,"  was  the  governor's  perplexed  reply.  And  as  they  ate 
their  purple  grapes  and  sweet  figs,  their  almonds  and  nuts,  and 
drank  their  wine  from  Tyrian  glasses,  they  continued  to  talk  of 
Paul  for  a  time,  and  then  turned  to  their  horses  and  their  men, 
and  what  was  to  be  next  in  the  circus.  And  Paul  went  back  to 
the  soldiers'  quarters  with  the  little  brass  chain  still  on  his  wrist. 

Did  the  governor  ever  tell  him  that  he  might  have  been  set 
free  but  for  his  appeal  to  Csesar?  Perhaps,  having  once  appealed, 
Paul  could  not  withdraw,  or  perhaps  he  was  determined  to  go 
to  Pome  and  get  the  judgment  of  the  highest  court  in  all  the 
world  that  men  everywhere  were  free  to  be  Christians.  And 
what  could  the  governor  say  in  his  report  to  Rome  but  that 
neither  Agrippa,  Felix,  Lysias,  nor  himself  thought  that  Paul 
had  done  anything  wrong — which  would  be  a  strange  report 
indeed. 

King  Agrippa  and  the  princess  Bernice,  with  all  their  train  of 
bodyguards,  ladies,  women,  soldiers,  slaves,  and  officers,  rode  out 
of  Csesarea  again,  along  the  paved  road  by  the  blue  sea,  with 
horsemen  bounding  off  the  road  to  gallop  across  the  plain  and 
back  again,  to  show  off  their  speed,  their  little  green  and  red 
flags  fluttering,  their  horns  blowing,  on  their  way  to  the  hills 
of  Galilee.  But  when  Festus  rode  up  into  the  hills,  it  was  at  the 
head  of  grim  armed  men ;  for  the  Zealots  and  dagger  men  were 
still  at  work  murdering  travellers,  burning  houses  and  crops,  and 
had  to  be  punished.     There  were  also  frequent  quarrels  in  Jeru- 


458  LOOKING    OUT    FOR    A    SHIP. 

salem,  in  which  the  high  priest  and  he  were  mixed  up ;  indeed, 
so  troublesome  to  govern  did  Festus  find  these  fierce  and  treacher- 
ous Jews,  that  they  brought  about  liis  death  in  two  years. 

Paul  saw  the  soldiers  marching  out  of  the  barracks,  and,  after 
days  spent  in  the  hills,  returning  again  worn  out,  distressed, 
wounded,  with  comrades  left  dead  amongst  the  hot  rocks,  stabbed 
by  the  wild  tribesmen.  And  he  was  not  silent  during  these 
days  when  the  barrack  yard  and  castle  gardens  were  his  world, 
but  spoke  to  his  friends,  and  such  of  the  soldiers  and  townspeople 
as  were  allowed  to  come  and  hear  him.  Two  governors,  two 
princesses,  and  a  king  had  listened  to  him  in  the  gilded  hall  near 
by,  and  surely  the  soldiers  might  listen  as  they  polished  their 
brass  armour.  He  spoke  to  them  as  he  wrote  to  others,  of 
what  he  saw  around  him, — 

"Be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  strength  of  His  might. 
Put  on  the  whole  armour  of  God,  that  you  may  be  able  to  resist 
temptation.  Our  wrestling  is  not  against  men,  but  against 
princes  and  powers,  rulers  of  darkness,  and  wickedness  in  high 
places.  Therefore  take  up  the  whole  armour  of  God,  that  you 
may  be  able  to  resist  in  the  day  of  evil,  and  stand,  having  done 
everything.  Stand  therefore,  having  put  on  the  belt  of  truth, 
and  the  breastplate  of  righteousness ;  and  having  shod  your  feet 
with  the  gospel  of  peace,  take  up  the  shield  of  faith,  with  which 
you  shall  be  able  to  quench  the  darts  of  evil.  And  take  the 
helmet  of  salvation,  and  the  sword  of  the  Spirit  of  Jesus,  which 
is  the  word  of  God,  with  prayer  and  pleading.  Pray  at  all  times 
in  the  Spirit  of  Jesus,  and  watch  with  perseverance,  praying  for  all 
Christians,  and  for  me,  that  words  may  be  given  to  me,  and  that 
I  may  open  my  mouth  with  boldness  to  make  known  the  mystery 
of  the  gospel  of  Jesus,  for  which  I  am  an  ambassador  in  a  chain  ; 
that  I  may  speak  boldly,  as  I  ought  to  speak." 

After  a  time  Governor  Festus  took  Paul's  case  seriously  in 
hand.  The  summer  was  passing,  with  hot  blue  skies  quivering 
over  calm  blue  seas,  where  on  windless  days  white  birds  dipped 
wings  into  the  glassy  waves  that  sobbed  and  gurgled  among  the 
black  rocks  of  the  breakwater.  Already  many  ships  had  taken 
in  cargoes,  and  spread  white  sails  for  Pome,  gliding  out  of 
sight  into  the  pearly  horizon,  that  glowed  like  the  mouth  of 
a  furnace  with  crimson  and  gold  flame  at  sunset.  When  at 
length  he  made  up  his  mind  to  send  off  a  batch  of  prisoners, 
there  was  no  ship  to  be  got  going  all  the  way  to  Rome.  The 
best  his  officers  could  do  was  to  secure  a  large  vessel  that  was 
going  along  the  Asian  coast  to  Adramyttium,  a  port  near  Troy ; 
and  they  could  leave  it  at  one  of  the  ports  on  the  way.     When 


A   SHIP    FOR    ROME.  459 

the  ship  was  fixed,  Paul's  friends  came  to  the  barracks,  and 
arranged  that  Luke  the  physician  and  Aristarchus  of  Thessalonica 
shoukl  go  with  him,  and  passages  were  taken  for  them  also. 

Kind  hands  among  the  women  of  Csesarea  would  make  changes 
of  clothing,  cloaks,  and  mats  for  the  men  who  were  to  face  the 
bitter  cold  and  danger  of  a  long  winter  voyage  ;  and  dried  fruits, 
fish,  parched  corn,  oil,  and  wine  would  be  given  them,  with  money 
in  their  purses,  and  knives  at  their  belts.  We  have  no  record 
of  his  farewell  words  at  their  last  little  meeting,  but  this  is  from 
one  of  his  letters  : — 

"  I  beg  of  you,  my  brothers,  by  our  Lord  Jesus  the  Christ,  and 
by  the  love  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  you  plead  in  your  prayers  for 
me  ;  that  I  may  be  with  you  again  in  joy  through  the  will  of  God, 
and,  together  with  you,  find  rest.  Note  the  men  who  cause  splits 
and  obstructions  among  you  contrary  to  the  teaching  which  you 
have  learned,  and  turn  away  from  them.  For  they  do  not  serve 
our  Lord,  but  their  own  greed  ;  and  by  smooth  and  fair  speak- 
ing deceive  innocent  hearts.  The  news  of  your  obedience  has 
spread  abroad  among  all  men,  and  I  rejoice  over  you  :  but  I  would 
have  you  be  wise  toward  all  that  is  good,  and  simple  toward  all 
that  is  evil ;  and  the  God  of  peace  will  soon  crush  Satan  under 
your  feet.     May  the  God  of  peace  be  with  you  all." 


A  Ship  for  Rome. 

CiESAREA  :    AGED    50-60. 

CRIMSON  fires  along  the  ranges  of  Samaria  burned  under 
crimson  clouds  at  the  dawning  of  the  day  when  Paul  left 
the  castle  yard,  where  he  had  been  so  long  a  prisoner;  and  his 
friends  wept  and  lamented  as  he  walked  out  of  the  barrack  gate 
with  a  light  chain  binding  his  hand  to  his  soldier  companion. 
The  ship  was  ready,  and  he  went  on  board  at  the  stone  quay, 
crowded  with  their  friends — Luke  and  Aristarchus  going,  per- 
haps, as  his  servants,  so  as  to  get  in  the  same  ship.  Timothy, 
Tychicus,  Onesiphorus,  and  Mark  were  away  on  journeys.  Demas, 
Philip,  and  others  were  there ;  but  we  hear  of  no  word  of  fare- 
well from  the  elders  at  Jerusalem.  The  Christians  of  Ephesus  and 
Tyre  wept  when  he  parted  from  them,  and  those  of  Csesarea  would 
kiss  him,  with  tears  and  many  cries ;  and  there  would  not  be 
lacking  men  like  Agabus  to  say  that  they  would  never  see  his 
face  again. 

The  captain  had  waited  for  a  favourable  west  wind,  and  it  was 


460  A   SHIP    FOR    ROME. 

blowing  strong.  Eopes  were  cast  off,  oars  pushed  out,  and  when 
the  ship  moved  across  the  calm  harbour  the  Christians  would 
run  along  to  the  horns  of  the  breakwater,  to  hold  out  their 
hands  to  the  man  in  the  brown  cloak  as  the  ship  with  the  white 
eye  passed ;  and  then  the  yellow  sail  was  shaken  out,  filling  with 
the  wind  as  the  vessel  moved  out  to  sea,  rising  and  falling,  burst- 
ing the  waves  with  its  broad  bows.  Paul  was  a  privileged  prisoner 
— the  only  one  who  had  appealed  to  the  emperor,  and  perhaps  the 
only  Roman  citizen.  The  others  would  be  condemned  criminals 
being  taken  to  fight  with  wild  beasts  in  the  public  shows  at  Rome. 
He  was  put  under  the  special  charge  of  Julius,  an  officer  in  the 
Augustine  Band,  one  of  the  best  Roman  regiments.  Again  he 
was  on  the  sea,  and  on  his  way  to  Rome — the  dream  of  years — 
where  he  believed  he  would  see  the  crowning  of  all  his  work.  He 
did  not  doubt  that  the  sealed  report  which  Festus  handed  to  Julius' 
would  be  as  favourable  as  his  spoken  words.  It  would  repeat 
briefly  what  Lysias  wrote — that  Paul  had  not  broken  the  Roman 
law,  and  that  it  was  all  a  dispute  about  the  Jewish  religion. 

By  the  light  of  early  morning  the  ship  sailed  along  the  familiar 
Syrian  coast,  and  Paul  breathed  free  air  again  as  he  turned  his 
eyes  to  the  hills  about  Jerusalem,  and  the  busy  hive  of  the  golden 
temple.  And  when  the  sun  went  down  over  the  crimson  waves, 
and  night  shrouded  the  hills  of  green  Galilee,  guided  by  the 
silver  lamps  of  heaven  and  the  dark  coast-line,  they  held  on  their 
way,  and  Paul,  wrapped  in  his  thick  cloak,  was  once  more  rocked 
to  sleep  in  a  ship.  Next  day  they  called  at  Sidon,  where  they 
were  to  take  in  goods  for  the  ports  of  Asia ;  and  as  the  governor's 
orders  to  Julius  were  of  the  most  generous  kind,  Paul  was  allowed 
to  go  on  shore  and  see  friends  in  that  town.  And  he  would  have 
a  word  for  these  Christians — the  first  spoken  outside  a  Roman 
barracks  for  two  years.  What  he  said  we  are  not  told,  but  this 
is  from  his  letters  : — 

"  I  have  learned,  in  whatever  state  I  am,  therein  to  be  content. 
I  know  how  to  be  brought  low,  and  I  know  how  to  be  raised  up, 
in  every  way,  and  in  all  things.  I  have  learned  the  secret  of 
how  both  to  be  filled  and  to  be  hungry,  how  both  to  have  plenty 
and  to  be  in  want.  I  can  do  all  things  in  the  strength  of  God, 
who  strengthens  me.  Howbeit  you  do  well  that  you  have 
sympathy  with  my  sufferings.  And  God  will  fill  any  need  of 
yours  according  to  His  riches  and  glory  in  Jesus  the  Christ.  Now 
unto  our  God  and  Father  be  the  glory,  for  evermore." 

Again  the  sail  was  spread,  and  they  went  right  out  to  sea, 
making  for  the  blue  island  of  Cyprus,  as  their  next  shelter  ;  and 
they  were  blown  away  to  the  low  north  end,  which  Paul  had 


A    SHIP    FOR   ROME.  461 

often  passed  on  his  voyages  to  and  from  Tarsus.  He  was  within 
eighty  miles  of  his  old  home  when  the  ship  turned  the  peak  of  the 
island  and  began  to  sail  away  from  the  snow-white  crests  behind 
Tarsus,  which  he  knew  so  well.  After  sheltering  at  Cyprus,  they 
crossed  to  the  Cilician  coast,  beyond  Tarsus,  and  went  along  it 
westwards  to  Pamphylia,  sailing  and  anchoring,  battling  against 
contrary  winds,  that  sent  the  waves  leaping  into  the  ship,  until 
they  reached  the  port  of  Myra  on  the  mainland,  a  regular  calling- 
place  for  large  ships.  And  then  Julius  ordered  the  men  to  leave 
the  ship,  hoping  to  get  another  going  direct  to  Rome. 

Inquiring  among  the  large  ships  in  the  harbour,  he  found  one 
employed  in  the  Egyptian  grain  trade,  and  laden  with  grain  for 
the  Roman  Government.  It  had  a  large  number  of  passengers, 
but  he  soon  caused  room  to  be  made  for  his  men.  When  they  all 
went  into  the  ship,  counting  passengers,  sailors,  soldiers,  and 
prisoners,  there  were  two  hundred  and  seventy -six  people — too 
many  for  a  rough  voyage.  It  was  so  crowded  that  they  would 
have  to  sleep  on  the  deck  and  on  the  top  of  the  cargo  as  best 
they  could — a  common  thing  in  these  days  ;  and  while  the  captain 
managed  the  sailing,  Julius  took  the  chief  command. 

It  was  now  autumn,  with  stormy  days,  and  only  large  ships 
were  going  out  to  sea;  and  the  weather  became  so  bad  after 
leaving  Myra  that  they  could  not  keep  straight  on  their  voyage. 
They  went  to  Khodes,  and  after  that  were  driven  up  and  down 
the  ^gean  Sea,  sheltering  here  and  there  at  islands ;  drifting  as 
far  north  as  Cnidus,  opposite  the  island  of  Cos,  and  back  again 
to  Crete.  With  difficulty  they  got  round  Cape  Salmone,  with 
high  cliffs  against  which  the  white  waves  dashed,  and  passed  into 
the  Fair  Havens,  a  bay  of  Crete,  sheltered  by  several  small  islands, 
not  far  from  the  town  of  Lasea. 

It  was  now  October.  They  had  been  some  weeks  on  the 
voyage,  and  were  only  about  one-third  of  their  way  to  Home, 
and  the  time  of  the  year  had  come  when  terrific  gales  sweep 
the  seas.  In  a  month's  time  sailing  would  be  so  dangerous  that 
the  sea  would  be  cleared  of  ships,  all  lying  in  safe  harbours  until 
the  month  of  March.  These  old  wooden  boats,  with  their  high 
houses  on  bow  and  stern,  a  single  mast  and  one  huge  sail,  could 
not  stand  much  straining  in  the  waves.  One  winter  storm,  with 
the  waves  leaping  over  the  sides,  and  leaks  starting  in  the  hull, 
was  enough  to  send  the  best  of  them  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea. 
And  so  wise  Greek  captains  did  not  risk  their  ships  in  winter,  for 
they  were  never  in  a  hurry,  and  two  or  three  months  more  on  a 
voyage  was  nothing  to  them.  But  Julius  was  a  soldier,  and  he 
was  in  a  hurry. 


462  A    STORM    AND    A    DREAM. 

A  Storm  and  a  Dream. 

FAIR    HAVENS  :    AGED   50-60. 

IT  was  with  great  difficulty  that  the  sailors  got  the  ship  into 
the  bay  and  safely  anchored,  and  what  were  they  to  do 
next?  Paul  was  a  sailor  as  well  as  a  traveller.  He  had  sailed 
in  many  ships,  in  storms  and  calms,  and  on  many  seas,  and  had 
been  shipwrecked  three  times,  so  that  he  knew  something  about 
the  dangers  of  an  autumn  voyage.  When  the  fasting  days  came 
for  the  festival  of  the  Atonement  in  the  middle  of  October,  he  kept 
the  fast  with  the  other  Jews  in  the  ship,  and  knew  that  it  was 
dangerous  for  them  to  be  far  from  land.  The  sail  was  down,  for 
they  were  anchored  in  calm  water,  and  Julius  and  the  captain 
talked  together  with  Paul  about  the  voyage.  He  told  them  they 
should  sail  no  farther,  but  stay  in  that  bay  for  the  winter,  and  go 
on  when  spring  came ;  for  he  saw  that  if  they  went  now,  there 
would  be  loss  and  injury  to  ship,  cargo,  and  passengers. 

But  the  captain  and  owner  of  the  ship  told  Julius  it  was  not 
a  safe  bay  to  winter  in,  and  that  when  the  weather  calmed  they 
should  try  to  reach  Phcenix,  a  good  harbour  about  sixty  miles 
farther  round  the  island,  where  they  would  be  quite  safe.  The 
others  agreed  with  this;  and  on  an  unfortunate  day,  when  the 
south  wind  blew  softly,  they  took  up  the  anchor  and  sailed  out 
towards  Phoenix.  But  suddenly  the  wind  changed,  coming  down 
furiously  from  the  mountains,  and  the  ship  was  caught,  and  had 
to  turn  and  drive  out  to  sea,  making  for  the  small  island  of 
Clauda,  about  twenty-five  miles  distant.  There  they  got  some 
shelter,  but  were  unable  to  anchor,  and  hastily  prepared  for  the 
coming  struggle. 

The  small  boat  trailing  behind,  and  filled  with  water,  was 
with  great  difficulty  hoisted  on  to  the  deck.  The  heavy  mast 
had  strained  the  bottom  of  the  ship  with  swinging  to  and  fro, 
and  thick  ropes  were  passed  under  and  twisted  tight  with  sticks, 
to  hold  the  planks  together.  But  soon  they  were  blown  out 
from  their  shelter,  and  as  the  sail  could  not  be  set,  the  long 
yard  was  lowered  to  the  deck,  and  with  a  bare  mast  they 
drove  before  the  gale.  The  passengers  were  in  great  distress, 
drenched  with  waves,  and  expecting  the  ship  to  go  down  in 
the  darkness,  when  night  came  on. 

Next  morning  the  storm  was  no  better,  and  the  captain  ordered 
cargo  to  be  thrown  over  the  side,  Paul  and  Luke  working  for 
their  lives  with  the  rest.     On  the  following  day,  to  lighten  the 


SHIPWRECKED    AT   MALTA.  463 

ship,  which  was  sinking  lower  in  the  water,  the  heavy  yard  and 
the  large  sail  were  pushed  over  the  side,  and  all  tackling  and 
furnishings  that  could  be  spared.  Then  dark  days  and  nights 
followed,  during  which  they  neither  saw  sun,  moon,  nor  stars,  but 
only  black  waves  heaving  and  hissing  round  them,  and  all  hope 
of  being  saved  was  given  up.  Sailors  and  passengers  no  longer 
did  anything  for  the  ship.  Sheltering  wherever  they  could,  they 
held  on  to  ropes  and  sjDars,  expecting  each  time  the  ship  sank 
between  the  seas  that  it  would  not  rise  again,  while  the  waves 
broke  over  them,  and  no  one  thought  of  taking  proper  food,  for 
death  was  so  near. 

But  Paul  never  lost  hope  that  he  would  live  to  see  Rome. 
In  one  of  those  snatches  of  sleep  which  come  to  worn-out  men, 
amid  the  noise  of  crashing  waves,  whistling  ropes,  and  creaking 
wood,  he  had  a  dream — a  gleam  of  heaven  through  the  driving 
mists.  The  ship  rolled  from  side  to  side,  and  Julius  and  the 
captain  thought  that  in  a  few  hours  at  most  they  would  all  be 
drowned.  Paul  said  they  should  have  listened  to  him,  and  re- 
mained at  Fair  Havens.  But  he  bade  them  be  of  good  heart, 
for  no  one  would  be  drowned,  but  only  the  ship  lost ;  and  he  told 
them  of  his  dream,  when  an  angel  of  God,  whose  he  was,  and 
whom  he  obeyed,  bade  him  not  fear,  because  he  must  stand 
before  the  Roman  emperor,  and  He  had  granted  him  the  lives 
of  all  in  the  ship.  He  believed  God,  and  that  they  must  be 
wrecked  upon  an  island. 

And  thus,  amid  lashing  waves,  with  a  ship  shuddering  under 
them  as  it  rose  and  fell,  Paul,  with  his  heart  stayed  upon  God, 
put  courage  into  despairing  men,  who  knew  little  of  him  and 
the  living  God  in  whom  he  trusted.  While  they  were  fling- 
ing gifts  into  the  boiling  sea,  and  holding  out  hands  towards 
temples  on  the  far  shore,  as  they  called  on  Neptune,  Yenus, 
and  Minerva  to  save  them,  this  Jew  in  brown  cloak  and  sandals 
bowed  his  grey  head  in  prayer,  and  from  a  heart  strengthened 
with  the  Spirit  of  God  gave  strength  to  all  around  him. 


Shipwrecked   at  Malta. 

THE    STORM:    AGED   50-60. 

THEY  were  in  the  Adriatic,  far  from  land,  being  blown  in 
one    direction,    and,    when    the    wind    changed,    driven   in 
another,  with  white-topped  waves  surging  round  them,  amid  rain. 


464  SHIPWEECKED    AT    MALTA. 

wind,  and  darkness,  making  no  attempt  to  steer  the  ship.  Only 
Paul  and  his  friends  had  any  hope  left.  When  day  dawned 
it  brought  no  reUef,  and  night  made  no  change.  Fourteen  days 
had  passed  since  that  morning  when,  with  sunshine  on  their  decks, 
and  the  soft  south  wind  in  their  sail,  they  sailed  out  of  Fair 
Havens  Bay. 

About  the  middle  of  the  night  a  cry  arose  from  the  sailors 
that  added  fresh  terror  to  the  storm.  "  Breakers  !  breakers  ! " 
was  the  cry.  Listening  with  straining  ears,  they  caught,  in 
pauses  of  the  wind  and  rain,  the  roar  of  waves  on  rocks.  Soon 
they  could  all  hear  it,  for  the  wind  was  driving  them  on.  Quickly 
the  sailors  tried  the  depth  of  water,  and  found  it  forty  yards,  and 
again  thirty  yards.  The  ship  must  be  checked  if  they  were  not 
to  be  dashed  to  pieces.  They  had  ropes  ;  and  four  anchors  were 
quickly  thrown  out  over  the  stern  that  stopped  the  ship.  And 
as  they  hung  there  with  the  waves  breaking  over  them,  the  wish 
of  all  was  for  daylight. 

The  gale  was  less,  or  the  ship  could  not  have  stood  the  strain 
of  the  waves  and  the  tugging  of  the  anchors.  And  some  of  the 
sailors  thought  they  would  escape  while  there  was  a  chance.  They 
got  the  small  boat  over  the  side  in  the  darkness,  as  if  they  were 
going  to  put  out  two  more  anchors  from  the  bow,  and  were  getting 
into  it,  when  they  were  discovered.  Perhaps  they  were  fighting 
for  who  should  go,  as  is  often  the  way  with  cowards,  when  Paul 
called  to  the  soldiers, — 

"  Unless  these  men  stay,  you  cannot  be  saved."  Then  came 
a  struggle,  and  with  a  flash  of  his  sword  a  soldier  cut  the  rope, 
and  the  boat  disappeared  in  the  darkness.  It  was  a  reckless 
thing  to  do,  for  without  a  boat  they  were  more  than  ever  helpless. 

At  last  the  wished-for  dawn  came,  with  pale  light  on  the 
heaving  waters,  and  they  were  able  to  make  out  the  black  rocks 
of  a  high  island,  with  hardly  any  beach-^a  hopeless  sight  through 
leaping  waves  and  rain- drift.  The  crisis  had  come,  for  they  would 
certainly  be  driven  on  this  island;  and  Paul  determined  to  prepare 
them  to  fight  for  their  lives  in  the  sea,  as  he  had  done  before. 
While  the  daylight  was  growing,  he  besought  them  to  take  food, 
saying  that  it  was  for  their  safety,  and  that  no  one  would  be 
drowned.  To  show  his  confidence — as  if  he  had  been  on  shore, 
instead  of  on  a  broken  ship — he  held  up  bread,  and  giving  thanks 
to  God,  broke  it,  and  began  to  eat.  And  they  all  ate,  and  felt 
stronger ;  and  hope  revived,  with  determination  to  fight  for  their 
lives.  If  the  ship  must  go  on  the  beach,  let  her  go  up  as  far  as 
possible.  They  set  to  work  again,  pitching  out  the  remainder 
of  the  wheat  cargo,  Paul  and  Luke  toiling  with  the  rest ;  and  as 


IN   THE    "TWIN    BROTHEKS."  465 

there  were  two  hundred  and  seventy-six  pairs  of  hands  at  work, 
they  soon  made  a  difference  on  the  ship. 

No  one  could  tell  what  island  it  was,  but  it  was  not  all  rocks, 
for  the  captain  saw  a  bay,  with  sand ;  and  he  asked  Paul  and 
Julius  if  they  thought  it  possible  to  cast  off  the  anchors  and  run 
the  ship  into  that  bay,  and  it  was  agreed  to  try  it.  Men  were 
placed  at  the  stern  to  cut  the  anchor  ropes,  others  at  the  mast  to 
hoist  a  sail,  others  to  loosen  the  rudders  at  each  side.  A  shout, 
and  the  ropes  were  cut,  the  small  sail  hoisted,  the  rudders  untied, 
and  at  once  the  ship  sped  towards  the  shore,  while  the  captain 
stood  high  up  in  the  after  part,  directing  the  men  at  the  rudders 
how  to  steer  for  the  sand.  Seeing  a  place  where  two  seas  met, 
they  made  for  it,  and,  with  a  crash  and  grinding  noise,  the  ship 
struck  the  ground  and  stuck  fast.  The  shock  would  split  the 
boards  and  send  the  thick  mast  crashing  over  the  side,  and  the 
waves  beating  upon  the  stern  soon  began  to  break  the  ship  into 
pieces. 

Then  arose  a  fierce  fight.  The  prisoners  wished  to  save  their 
lives,  the  soldiers  thought  they  would  escape,  and  Julius  heard 
i-hem  shouting  the  Roman  cry  when  a  convoy  was  in  danger — 
''Kill  the  prisoners,  lest  they  escape."  But  there  was  one  who 
must  not  die.  For  Paul's  sake,  let  them  have  their  chance. 
Julius  ordered  the  soldiers  to  loose  the  prisoners'  chains,  and  let 
all  who  could  swim  leap  over  the  side  and  make  for  the  shore. 
Then  there  was  a  wild  scene  of  men  leaping,  sliding,  falling  into 
the  foaming  waves,  and  battling  through  the  surf,  while  others 
caught  up  planks  and  broken  pieces  of  wood,  as  they  sprang 
from  the  deck  and  were  buffeted  to  the  shore.  Paul,  Luke,  and 
Aristarchus  leapt  with  the  rest ;  and  before  the  ship  was  broken 
up,  by  one  means  or  another,  every  man  had  reached  the  land 
— a  miserable  band  of  bruised  and  half-drowned  men,  and  the 
rain  was  fallinsj  fast. 


In    the    **Twin    Brothers." 

MALTA:   AGED  50-60. 

THE  shipwreck  had  been  seen  by  natives  on  the  shore,  who 
came  down  to  help  the  crowd  gathered  there,  shivering 
with  cold  in  the  pouring  rain;  and  they  treated  them  very  kindly. 
Julius  called  them  outlandish  barbarians,  because  they  were  neither 
Greeks  nor  Romans  ;  but  he  did  not  refuse  to  warm  himself  at  the 
fires  which  they  lighted  in  the  caves. 

(1.040)  30 


466  IN    THE 

While  Paul  was  helping  to  gather  sticks,  a  viper  hung  on  his 
hand,  and  he  shook  it  off  into  the  fire.  The  islanders  saw  it,  and 
thought  he  was  some  very  bad  prisoner,  who,  having  escaped  the 
sea,  would  die  by  a  viper.  They  expected  hira  to  fall  down  dead, 
and  watched  him  going  about ;  but  when  nothing  happened  they 
changed  their  minds,  and  instead  of  thinking  him  a  murderer, 
said  he  must  have  come  down  from  heaven.  But  they  were 
ignorant  people,  whose  thoughts  on  such  things  were  worth  little. 
And  thus  Paul  escaped  from  another  shipwreck  ;  and  we  have 
to  thank  his  faithful  companion  Luke  for  the  story  of  the  storm. 

They  had  landed  on  Malta,  an  island  now  belonging  to  Eng- 
land, which  was  then  part  of  the  Roman  province  of  Sicily,  and 
Publius  was  in  charge  of  it.  The  islanders  took  the  shipwrecked 
people  to  the  governor  ;  and  when  he  heard  who  they  were,  he  took 
care  of  them,  and  treated  them  with  great  kindness  for  three  days. 
They  were  now  into  the  wet  and  stormy  months  of  winter. 
Hearing  that  the  father  of  Publius  was  ill  of  fever,  Paul  went 
and  prayed  with  his  hands  on  him,  and  he  became  well.  And 
we  are  told  that  others  on  the  island  came  and  were  healed  by 
him,  so  that  he  and  his  friends  were  honoured  everywhere. 

During  the  winter  months  no  ship  would  venture  out  upon 
the  sea,  and  although  Julius  found  a  large  grain-ship  of  Alexandria 
in  one  of  the  harbours,  he  did  not  resume  the  voyage.  They  had 
all  had  enough  of  storms  in  a  grain-ship,  the  wreck  of  which  they 
could  see  sticking  on  the  sands.  And  so  they  prepared  to  spend 
thr  ^0  months  on  this  island  of  rocks,  seventeen  miles  long  by  six 
broad, 

Paul  was  treated  with  such  honour  and  kindness  by  the 
people  that  we  need  not  doubt  he  proclaimed  to  them  and  to 
the  soldiers  the  gospel  of  Jesus,  for  which  he  was  a  prisoner. 
And  while  we  do  not  know  what  he  said,  this  is  from  one  of  his 
letters : — 

"  It  is  not  wise  to  boast,  but  I  will  speak  of  visions  and  revela- 
tions. I  know  a  man  in  Christ  who  was  caught  up,  even  to  the 
third  heaven,  into  paradise,  where  he  heard  unspeakable  things 
which  it  is  not  right  for  a  man  to  utter.  I  will  boast  of 
him,  but  not  of  myself.  If  I  should  wish  to  glory,  I  should  speak 
the  truth ;  but  I  refrain,  lest  any  man  should  think  more  of  me 
than  he  sees  or  hears  from  me.  And  because  of  my  revelations, 
that  I  should  not  be  too  much  exalted,  there  was  given  to  me  a 
thorn  in  the  flesh,  a  messenger  of  evil  to  buffet  me.  I  prayed  to 
God  three  times,  that  it  might  leave  me ;  and  He  said.  My  grace 
is  sufficient  for  you  :  for  God's  power  is  made  perfect  in  weakness. 
Gladly  therefore  do  I  boast  of  my  weakness,  that  the  strength  of 


SCYLLA    AND    CHARYBDIS.  467 

Jesus  may  cover  me.  I  take  pleasure  in  weakness,  injuries,  perse- 
cutions, distress,  and  want,  for  Jesus'  sake :  for  when  I  am  weak, 
then  am  I  strong  in  Him." 

They  were  now  three-quarters  of  their  way  to  Rome,  and  past 
the  worst ;  and  when  February  came,  with  its  hot  sunshine,  and 
flowers  springing  upon  the  warm,  rocky  terraces,  Julius  began  to 
think  of  continuing  the  voyage.  The  ship  waiting  in  the  harbour 
was  called  the  Twin  Brotlicrs,  and  would  have  a  wooden  figure- 
head of  Castor  and  Pollux  looking  from  the  bow  into  the  water, 
and  a  large  white  eye  on  the  side,  to  please  the  sailors. 

When  the  time  came  for  sailing,  the  islanders  were  so  pleased 
with  their  friends  that  they  gave  them  presents  of  food,  oil,  wine, 
and  other  things  which  they  would  need  on  the  voyage,  and  were 
sorry  to  see  them  go  away.  With  a  fair  wind  they  would  reach 
in  one  day  the  ancient  port  of  Syracuse,  in  a  deep  bay  on  the  island 
of  Sicily.  There  they  remained  for  three  days ;  and  if  Paul  went 
on  shore  to  buy  food  in  the  market,  he  would  see  pennies  being 
handed  about  with  a  girl's  head  on  one  side,  and  on  the  other  side 
a  man  driving  a  chariot  and  four  horses,  while  angels  crowned 
him  with  wreaths  :  for  the  people  of  the  island  were  very  proud 
of  having  won  the  chariot  race.  Outside  the  city  walls  he  saw 
the  white  temple  of  Diana,  and  the  great  altar  built  three  hun- 
dred years  before,  where  priests  burned  four  hundred  oxen  every 
year ;  but  why  they  did  it  no  one  knew,  not  even  the  priests  them- 
selves. We  do  not  read  that  Paul  met  with  any  Jews  or  Christians 
in  that  old  and  rich  city  during  his  visit. 


Scylla    and    Charybdis, 

SICILY  :    AGED   50-60. 

ONE  day  more  of  sailing  down  the  beautiful  coast  of  Sicily, 
with  Etna's  burning  mountain  seen  amongst  the  hills,  with 
a  small  cloud  over  it,  grey  by  day  and  glowing  fire  by  night,  and 
on  towards  the  narrow  Strait  of  Messina,  where  the  ship  came 
to  another  stop,  in  the  harbour  of  Rhegium  ;  for  they  were  sailing 
very  cautiously  now.  They  were  at  the  foot  of  bare  hills,  at  the 
entrance  to  the  narrow  channel  between  Sicily  and  the  mainland, 
and  at  last  they  had  reached  the  magic  shores  of  Italy.  There 
they  waited  for  a  fair  wind  to  carry  them  through  the  strait,  and 
it  came  next  morning — a  soft  south  wind,  filling  out  the  huge 
square  sail  as  they  moved  slowly  forward,  the  hills  getting  closer 


468  SCYLLA    AND    CHARYBDIS. 

on  each  side.  There  seemed  to  be  no  way  through  for  the  ship, 
until  a  small  opening  gradually  appeared  to  the  right,  with  very 
high  hills  on  each  side,  and  black  jagged  rocks  that  came  out  into 
the  blue  water,  as  if  hurled  by  giants'  hands  from  the  mountains 
above.  They  were  approaching  Scylla  and  Charybdis,  the  most 
famous  narrows  in  the  world,  dreaded  by  sailors,  and  sung  about 
by  poets ;  for  on  one  side  were  jagged  rocks  on  which  they  might 
be  driven,  and  on  the  other  side  a  huge  hissing  whirlpool  into  which 
they  might  be  drawn.  The  poets  in  their  own  fanciful  way  com- 
pared the  noise  of  the  waves  there  to  dogs  howling  and  barking  at 
the  sailors  as  they  passed. 

When  they  passed  the  narrows,  the  ship's  head  was  pointed 
towards  Rome,  still  three  days  distant ;  but  they  would  not  sail 
all  the  way.  With  the  huge  square  sail  set,  they  sailed  among 
small  islands,  and  then  there  was  only  blue  sea  before  them.  Far 
away  on  their  right  was  the  line  of  the  Italian  mountains — purple 
at  evening,  fringed  with  fire  at  the  dawn;  and  guided  by  them 
during  the  day,  and  by  the  lamps  of  the  stars  by  night,  they  sailed 
with  a  fair  wind  along  the  Italian  coast.  Passing  between  the 
charming  island  of  Capri  and  Campanella  Point,  with  all  sail  set, 
being  one  of  the  first  grain-ships  of  spring,  they  sailed  from  point 
to  point  across  the  bay  of  Naples,  the  most  beautiful  bay  in  the 
world,  with  the  burning  mountain  of  Vesuvius  rising  from  the 
level  country  and  sending  a  trail  of  white  smoke  over  the  brilliant 
blue  sky.  At  the  foot  of  that  mountain  were  the  white  houses 
of  the  wonderful  city  of  Pompeii,  in  a  few  years  to  be  overwhelmed 
with  dust  and  ashes  from  the  fiery  volcano  in  which  the  beautiful 
Jewish  princess  Drusilla  and  her  boy  would  perish. 

A  crowd  of  islands  marked  the  farther  horn  of  the  gulf,  where 
was  the  port  of  Puteoli,  divided  by  a  narrow  peak  of  land  from 
Naples,  seven  miles  distant.  Because  of  its  charming  climate,  clear 
blue  water,  and  lovely  scenery,  the  bay  of  Puteoli  was  the  favourite 
seaside  resort  of  the  nobles  of  Rome.  The  emperor  had  his  villa 
at  Baulos,  across  the  bay,  and  of  course  his  example  was  followed 
by  his  admiring  nobles,  who  vied  with  each  other  in  the  taste  and 
richness  of  their  seaside  villas  and  the  beauty  of  their  gardens. 

Puteoli  was  a  great  seaport,  for  there  the  large  grain-ships  dis- 
charged their  cargoes,  to  be  taken  on  to  Rome  by  small  boats  that 
could  sail  up  the  river  Tiber.  Here  also  passengers  from  far  coun- 
tries landed,  going  on  to  Rome  either  by  the  great  paved  highway 
up  from  the  coast,  or  in  small  coasting-boats.  It  had  double  docks 
for  ships,  and  a  great  pier  of  bricks  built  with  lime  from  Mount 
Vesuvius,  which  sea-water  could  not  wear  away,  stretching  in 
twenty-four  arches  far  out  into  the  water,  and  some  of  it  is  stand- 


ALONG   THE    APPIAN   WAY.  469 

ing  still.  Up  to  this  pier  of  black  bricks  sailed  the  Twin  Brothers^ 
and  over  these  brick  arches  passed  Paul's  feet,  as  he  touched  the 
soil  of  Italy  for  the  first  time.  Their  arrival  would  be  greeted 
by  a  crowd  of  rejoicing  townspeople,  for  only  corn-ships  from 
Egypt  might  carry  full  sail  after  passing  Capri,  and  they  would 
be  welcomed  as  one  of  the  first  of  the  year. 

In  front  of  Paul  as  he  came  off  the  pier  was  the  strange  temple 
of  Serapis,  built  upon  a  marble  platform,  and  surrounded  with 
forty-eight  ornamented  pillars  of  great  height.  Grouped  at  the 
low  door  were  more  pillars  of  granite  and  rare  marbles  from  distant 
lands,  the  sign  of  that  idol- worship  which  he  had  come  to  conquer. 
Almost  of  equal  splendour  were  the  open-air  buildings  of  the  town, 
where  the  emperor  sometimes  sat  amongst  yelling  thousands  to 
witness  fights  to  the  death  between  armed  men  and  African  lions. 

But  he  turned  away  from  these  things  to  the  broad  paved  road 
that  led  to  Rome,  up  which  emperors  had  ridden,  queens  had  been 
carried,  and  conquerors  driven  their  chariots,  rolling  on  towards 
Home,  the  heart  of  the  world.  From  this  pier  of  Puteoli,  Caligula, 
mad  with  dominion,  said  he  would  ride  to  his  villa  across  the  shin- 
ing bay  ;  and  he  caused  boats  to  be  fastened  together  and  a  road- 
way of  three  miles  made  over  them,  that  he  might  ride  on  his 
black  horse  across,  and  say,  like  a  petted  child,  that  he  could 
ride  on  the  sea. 


Along  the  Appian   Way. 

PUTEOLI  :    AGED   50-60. 

SHIPS  were  the  bridges  of  the  nations  in  these  times;  and 
although  many  leagues  of  sea  separated  the  city  and  temple 
in  which  James  the  brother  of  Jesus  was  a  daily  worshipper  from 
Italy  and  the  beautiful  bay  of  Puteoli,  wherever  there  were  buying 
and  selling  going  on,  there  were  Jews  to  be  found. 

As  Paul  and  his  friends  went  up  from  the  harbour  to  the  city, 
to  seek  their  countrymen,  they  saw  a  square  monument  standing 
in  the  principal  street,  and  which,  worn  and  broken,  is  standing 
there  still.  It  is  a  pillar  put  up  in  honour  of  the  emperor  Tiberius 
for  his  kindness  to  the  cities  of  Asia  after  an  earthquake  which 
ruined  many  of  them.  Carved  upon  the  square  base  are  the  figures 
of  twelve  beautiful  women,  each  representing  a  city,  Ephesus  being 
in  the  middle.  As  Paul  looked  at  this  monument  he  may  have 
counted  in  how  many  of  the  great  cities  represented  there  he  had 
proclaimed  the  glorious  gospel  of  Jesus. 


470  ALONG    THE    APPIAN    WAY. 

Julius  stayed  for  a  week  in  this  city  with  his  soldiers  and 
prisoners,  and  during  that  time  Paul  ^¥as  allowed  to  see  his  friends 
freely.  Luke  and  Aristarchus  would  go  into  the  Jews'  streets, 
and  tell  them  of  the  man  who  had  arrived  in  a  ship,  a  prisoner  on 
his  way  to  Rome,  And  they  found  Christians  among  their  country- 
men who  came  gladly  to  see  Paul,  who  spoke  to  them.  Again  we 
have  to  turn  to  his  letters  for  his  thoughts  at  this  time  : — 

"  I  would  like  you  to  know  how  greatly  I  strive  for  you,  and 
for  all  who  have  not  seen  my  face ;  that  your  hearts  may  be  com- 
forted, and  that  you  may  be  bound  together  in  love,  unto  all  richness 
and  understanding ;  and  that  you  may  know  the  mystery  of  God, 
even  the  Christ,  in  whom  are  hidden  all  the  treasures  of  riches  and 
knowledge.  I  tell  you  this,  so  that  no  one  may  deceive  you  with 
persuasive  speeches ;  for  though  I  am  not  with  you  in  body,  my 
thoughts  are  with  you,  rejoicing  to  see  your  order,  and  the  stead- 
fastness of  your  faith  in  the  Christ.  As  you  have  received  the 
teaching  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  and  as  you  have  been  taught,  so  live 
in  Him,  rooted,  built  up,  established  in  your  faith,  and  full  of 
thanksgiving  in  Him." 

It  was  in  March,  when  the  storms  and  rains  were  passing,  and 
the  Italian  skies  clearing  of  clouds,  that  Julius,  wearing  his  bur- 
nished armour,  his  sword  and  dagger,  and  carrying  his  short  vine- 
stick,  the  sign  of  his  centurion  rank,  ordered  out  his  soldiers,  with 
their  prisoners  divided  amongst  them,  to  begin  their  long  march  to 
Rome.  Julius  was  on  horseback ;  and  it  is  likely  that  Paul  and 
his  friends  would  ride  also,  for  they  could  pay  for  horses,  and  there 
were  plent}^  on  hire  at  Puteoli. 

Although  the  paved  road  was  wide,  it  was  not  broad  enough 
for  the  herds  of  cattle  and  sheep,  the  bands  of  slaves,  prisoners, 
soldiers,  and  strings  of  pack-beasts  and  laden  wagons,  that  crowded 
it  in  the  springtime.  There  rode  the  nobles  and  officers  of  Rome 
on  horseback,  with  mounted  guards  and  household  servants,  going 
and  coming  from  seaside  villas  with  their  wives  and  children,  in 
covered  coaches,  curtained  from  the  sun  with  silk  of  rose  and  pale 
gold.  And  when  they  came  riding  along  at  a  sharp  pace,  baggage- 
horses,  wagons,  slaves,  merchants,  all  had  to  scatter  off  to  right 
and  left,  into  the  fields,  to  let  the  nobles  pass ;  for  whoever  was 
not  a  soldier  was  of  no  account  on  that  road.  And  postmen 
galloping  between  Rome  and  the  sea-coast  towns  were  so  frequent 
that  at  every  twenty  miles  there  were  post-houses  where  they 
could  drink  wine  and  change  horses. 

Amid  the  clatter  of  arms  and  the  beat  of  soldiers'  feet,  Paul 
rode  away  from  the  city  and  the  sea,  towards  the  high  ground 
and  the  Campanian  Road.     On  each  hand  were  dark  pine- woods 


ALONG   THE    APPIAN    WAY.  471 

and  swelling  hills  of  brilliant  green,  and  by  the  wayside  stood 
square-built  monuments  of  different  colours  of  marble,  surrounded 
with  trees,  in  memory  of  the  dead  ;  while  at  every  mile  a  tall, 
black  pillar  told  them  the  distance  from  Rome.  And  that  night 
they  would  sleep  in  the  city  of  Capua,  on  the  river  Yulturnus, 
that  came  down  in  cold  flood  from  the  distant  blue  hills.  The 
Campania  is  still  the  loveliest  part  of  Italy.  In  a  month's  time 
barley  would  be  four  feet  high,  and  vines  hanging  from  the 
trees  in  shady  bowers  for  the  field-workers.  Here  they  joined 
the  Appian  Way,  the  most  famous  road  in  the  world,  which 
came  in  a  straight  line  from  Rome,  and  passed  across  Italy  to 
Brundisium  on  the  other  side.  It  was  four  yards  wide,  and  paved 
all  the  way  with  hard,  black  flagstones,  polished  smooth,  and  fit- 
ting closely  together.  Three  hundred  years  before  Paul  came  it 
was  there,  stretching  for  two  hundred  miles,  with  a  pillar  at  every 
mile,  a  post-house  at  every  twenty,  and  low  stone  benches  at  the 
wayside  for  weary  travellers  to  rest  and  horsemen  to  mount  their 
horses.  It  got  its  name  from  Appius  Claudius,  who  made  it  and 
a  market-place  at  great  expense  and  labour,  forming  it  along  hill- 
sides, and  carrying  it  on  high  arches  over  gorges,  cutting  away 
and  filling  up  as  he  went  along  to  keep  it  level,  for  the  Romans 
were  the  best  road-makers  in  the  world ;  and  parts  of  it  can  still 
be  seen. 

Leaving  Capua,  they  crossed  the  Yulturnus  by  a  broad  bridge, 
and  followed  the  river  all  day  down  towards  the  sea,  and  at  even- 
ing they  had  crossed  the  Savo  by  the  Campanian  bridge,  to  rest 
for  the  night  within  sight  of  the  islands,  turned  to  crimson,  and 
gold,  and  purple  in  the  setting  sun,  over  the  water.  At  daybreak 
they  were  again  on  the  paved  way,  passing  through  fields  glittering 
with  rain,  from  which  the  morning  mists  were  rising  to  the  lillis, 
and  soon  they  were  among  the  vine-clad  slopes  of  Maisicus,  sti etch- 
ing from  the  sea  to  the  darkly- wooded  Apennines.  From  the  hills 
they  could  see  for  a  time  the  blue  bay  of  Puteoli,  and  the  smoky 
cone  of  Mount  Vesuvius  beyond.  They  were  still  near  the  sea, 
and  as  they  rode  over  the  bridge  of  the  Liris,  they  saw  willow 
trees  springing  from  the  bank,  and  dipping  their  light  leaves  in 
the  water.  Day  after  day  they  rode  and  rested,  with  the  sea  on 
one  hand  and  hills  on  the  other,  passing  the  beautiful  bay  of 
Formise,  where  Cicero's  villa  stood,  in  which  he  was  killed  a  hun- 
dred years  before.  At  Terracina  they  came  to  the  fountain  praised 
by  every  traveller,  and  turned  their  backs  upon  the  sunny  sea, 
and  their  faces  towards  Rome,  still  seventy  miles  distant  by  the 
milestones. 

The  next  part  of  the  journey  was  very  different.     A  forest  of 


472  FRIENDS    FROM   ROME. 

trees  hid  the  sea,  stretching  away  for  miles  to  the  foot  of  the 
Volscian  Hills  and  the  Pontine  Marshes,  caused  by  the  rivers 
from  the  hills  getting  blocked  and  spreading  out  at  the  rainy 
season.  The  Appian  Way  went  straight  through  the  marshes  on 
a  raised  pavement ;  but  there  was  also  a  canal  for  twenty  miles, 
with  boats  going  to  and  fro,  dragged  by  slow  mules.  About 
thirty-seven  years  before  Paul  was  there,  Horace,  the  witty 
Roman  poet,  went  by  these  boats  to  meet  Virgil,  the  graver  bard  ; 
and,  as  poets  are  apt  to  do,  Horace  wrote  some  verses  containing 
a  very  lively  description  of  slaves  fighting  to  get  into  the  boat, 
and  of  their  masters  whipping  them  out ;  of  the  time  the  boatman 
took  to  harness  his  mules  and  gather  his  fares  ;  that  the  water 
was  so  bad  he  could  not  eat  his  supper,  and  the  frogs  croaked  so 
loud  he  could  not  sleep. 


Friends  from   Rome. 

THE   MARKET   OF   APPIUS :    AGED  50-60. 

IN  springtime  the  marshes  were  much  flooded  with  rivers  flow- 
ing through  them,  and  as  Paul  rode  along  the  paved  way, 
sometimes  he  saw  a  rippling  lake  in  which  light  boats  could 
float,  and  sometimes  shallow  pools  choked  with  broad-leaved  lilies, 
their  flowers  of  white  and  yellow  coming  into  bloom.  At  other 
parts,  thickets  of  tufted  grasses,  quivering  reeds,  and  thick  canes 
hid  the  water ;  and  there  grey  geese,  swans,  ducks,  and  water-fowl 
of  every  description  were  flying  in  flocks  about  their  nests,  for  the 
Roman  fowlers  were  constantly  there. 

With  his  brown  cloak  to  shelter  him  from  the  rain,  and  his 
striped  kerchief  to  shade  his  eyes  from  the  sun,  Paul  rode  among 
the  soldiers  and  prisoners,  his  wrist  still  fastened  by  a  long  chain 
to  his  companion  soldier.  The  company  of  wretched  Jewish  crimi- 
nals, dragged  from  their  beloved  land,  with  despair  in  their  looks, 
as  they  toiled  on  with  weary  steps  to  the  terrible  fate  that  awaited 
them,  was  enough  to  make  any  man  sad ;  and  Paul  was  depressed 
in  spirit  as  he  rode  towards  the  town  where  the  canal  mules  were 
kept,  across  the  marshes. 

But  there  were  Jews  of  a  different  kind  coming  out  from  Rome 
to  meet  him,  and  they  had  already  reached  the  mule  town, 
although  he  did  not  know  it.  More  than  two  years  ago  he 
sent  a  letter  to  the  Christians  at  Rome,  by  Phoebe  of  Cenchrea, 
saying  he  was  about  to  start  on  a  journey  to  Spain,  and  would 


FRIENDS   FROM   ROME.  473 

stay  some  time  with  them  as  he  passed  through  their  city.  Some 
friend  from  Puteoli  brought  the  news  to  Rome  of  his  arrival,  and 
they  were  astonished  and  grieved  to  learn  that  he  was  a  prisoner. 
His  letter  had  been  read  and  talked  of  in  their  meetings  ever  since 
it  came,  and  his  near  presence  stirred  their  hearts  with  pity,  for 
they  knew  that  the  emperor  Nero,  to  whom  he  had  appealed,  was 
a  young  fiend.  Aquila  the  weaver  and  his  wife,  and  Andronicus 
and  Junius,  relations  of  Paul's  own,  Christians  before  he  was, 
were  in  Rome,  and  a  number  of  them  came  out  to  meet  him  as 
far  as  the  market  of  Appius,  at  the  Rome  end  of  the  canal,  for 
they  did  not  know  whether  he  would  ride  or  sail  through  the 
marshes. 

It  would  be  with  mingled  tears  and  cries  that  Aquila  recog- 
nized Paul  in  the  brown  cloak,  riding  among  the  soldiers  in  deep 
thought,  with  a  bright  chain  to  his  wrist,  unconscious  that  he  had 
a  single  friend  in  the  crowd  of  idlers  at  the  canal  end. 

He  was  weary  and  depressed.  Rome  was  very  near  now, 
but  how  differently  would  he  enter  it  from  what  he  had  dreamed 
of  for  so  long !  Each  hour  brought  fresh  proof  of  the  merciless 
strength  of  these  giants  of  the  world.  A  Roman's  horse  was  treated 
better  than  his  slave,  and  all  foreigners  were  barbarians.  Of  what 
interest  would  questions  of  the  Jews'  religion  or  the  death  of 
Jesus  be  to  an  emperor  who  could  any  day  sacrifice  a  hundred 
foreigners  in  his  circus  for  the  mere  amusement  of  seeing  them 
flying  from  tigers  which  they  could  not  escape?  Paul  had  a 
strong  heart,  but  he  had  his  times  of  fear,  doubt,  and  despair ; 
and  at  the  end  of  the  day's  ride  through  these  vapoury  marshes, 
with  the  glitter  of  the  sun  on  the  water  paining  his  eyes,  and  the 
steam  from  the  stagnant  pools  turning  him  sick,  he  was  in  a  de- 
spondent state  as  he  rode  on  towards  the  soldiers'  barracks.  His 
friends  from  Rome  hastened  to  make  themselves  known,  and  he 
was  deeply  touched  with  their  kindness  in  coming  so  far  to  meet 
him.  They  told  him  of  the  other  Christians  in  the  great  city, 
and,  seeing  his  depression,  strove  to  cheer  him,  until  he  became 
hopeful  again,  and  thanked  God,  and  took  courage. 

They  were  now  at  the  forty-third  milestone,  and  as  they  rode 
away  from  the  end  of  the  canal,  with  its  mule  stables,  boatmen, 
labourers,  tavern-keepers,  they  left  the  marsh  lands  behind  them, 
and  were  soon  amid  fine  scenery,  with  the  blue  sea  in  view  about 
ten  miles  distant,  and  on  their  other  hand  hills,  woods,  and  plains 
stretching  away  to  the  even  more  beautiful  blue  mountains.  Just 
as  on  a  busy  English  highway,  there  were  plenty  of  taverns  and 
wine-shops,  where  beer  and  wine,  bread,  meat,  and  fruit  were  sold 
to  the  travellers ;  and  after  riding  about  ten  miles  they  came  to  a 


474  THE    QUEEN    OF    ROADS. 

place  called  the  Three  Taverns,  where  a  road  joined  them  from  the 
sea,  for  there  were  three  wine-shops  there.  Cicero,  the  great 
Roman  orator,  mentions  that  he  stopped  there  on  his  way  up 
from  his  seaside  villa  at  Antium,  to  rest  and  taste  the  wine  while 
his  horses  were  being  changed ;  and  there  Paul  was  met  by  more 
friends,  who  had  come  out  from  the  great  city.  And  while  the 
soldiers  refreshed  themselves  at  the  taverns,  the  Christians  came 
and  talked  with  him  in  low  voices  of  their  troubles  in  the  city, 
where  no  one's  life  was  safe  from  the  emperor. 


The  Queen  of  Roads. 

THREE    TAVERNS:    AGED  50-60. 

DAY  after  day,  in  the  sweet  springtime,  Paul  had  seen  the 
wealth  and  nobility  of  Rome  streaming  up  and  down  the 
great  highway  from  the  sea.  He  was  now  within  driving  dis- 
tance of  the  vast  city,  and  the  traffic  on  the  black  pavement 
became  greater  every  hour. 

Roman  ladies,  in  snow-white  robes,  with  cloaks  of  rose  and 
blue,  were  driven  quickly  past  in  open  four-wheeled  carriages, 
out  into  the  country,  lovely  and  fragrant  with  wild -flowers. 
Others  preferred  to  be  carried  in  little  yellow -curtained  houses 
of  white  and  gold,  swung  on  poles  on  the  shoulders  of  strong,  black 
slaves,  who  kept  step  as  they  ran ;  and  often  little  children's  faces 
looked  out  between  the  curtains.  Faster  still,  young  officers 
drove  past,  standing  in  small  open  chariots  of  scarlet  and  blue, 
bumping,  rattling,  clattering  as  they  went ;  for  they  had  no 
springs,  and  the  horses  took  them  easily  and  swiftly.  Groups 
of  Roman  gentlemen  went  past,  with  closely -cut  hair,  riding 
glossy  horses  of  black  and  brown,  their  long  white  tunics  partly 
hidden  by  dark-hued  riding-cloaks  coming  down  to  their  feet,  on 
which  soft  boots  of  crimson  or  yellow  were  laced  with  leather 
thongs — a  cavalcade  on  their  way  out  to  the  fields  for  sporting, 
hunting,  or  racing.  A  gilded  carriage  with  six  horses  and  post- 
boys, taking  a  noble  lady  to  her  coast  villa,  was  no  uncommon 
sight  on  that  queen  of  roads. 

But  the  constant  traffic,  that  wore  ruts  in  the  black  stones, 
was  the  straggling  line  of  mules,  horses,  donkeys,  laden  with  corn- 
sacks,  wine-skins,  baskets,  and  the  wagons  and  sledges  heaped  up 
with  every  kind  of  provision  for  the  vast  city,  and  all  to  be 
hustled,  dragged,  whipped  off  the  pavement  into  the  fields  when- 


THE    QUEEN    OF   ROADS.  475 

ever  a  great  man  came  clattering  up,  with  his  slaves  clearing 
the  way. 

Surrounded  by  the  rattle  of  soldiers'  armour,  the  tread  and 
shuffle  of  prisoners'  feet,  the  shaking  of  light  brass  chains,  with 
his  group  of  friends  following  in  the  rear,  Paul  rode  slowly  for- 
ward, the  tide  of  Rome  streaming  past  him,  and  the  flickering 
shadows  of  trees  thrown  across  his  face.  Passing  along  the  Alban 
Hills,  and  the  small  lake  of  which  they  were  so  proud,  he  was 
already  in  a  suburb,  for  the  sunny  slopes  were  covered  with 
the  country  villas  and  shady  gardens  of  rich  citizens.  But  when 
the  road  rose  to  the  shoulder  of  the  hill,  he  saw  what  stirred  his 
blood.  A  vast  plain  of  meadow  and  vineyard,  gentle  hill  and 
hollow,  spread  for  ten  miles  before  him  ;  and  beyond  it  was  Rome, 
the  capital  of  the  world.  "  I  must  see  Rome,"  had  throbbed  in 
the  red  blood  of  his  heart,  with  ever-increasing  longing  as  the 
years  went  by ;  and  yonder,  sleeping  in  a  haze  of  sunbeams, 
lay  the  city  of  his  dreams.      Would  he  triumph  or  perish  there  ? 

His  soldier  companion  would  point  to  where  the  green  fields 
stopped,  and  streets  crossed  thickly  about  the  clustering  temples, 
for  the  heart  of  Rome  was  there ;  but  his  arm  would  sweep  over 
Rome,  and  more  Rome,  spreading  out  for  miles  in  roads,  houses, 
aqueducts,  surging  in  waves  of  white  masonry  across  the  plain 
and  up  the  hills  on  which  they  stood,  while  far  on  the  left 
glittered  the  sunny  sea,  and  far  on  the  right  rose  the  pale-blue 
Sabine  Mountains. 

The  Appian  Way  went  straight  as  an  arrow  across  the  beautiful 
plain  to  the  city's  heart,  with  walled  gardens  and  secluded  houses 
on  each  side,  and  behind  them  open  country,  where  shepherds  in 
ragged  goat-skins  tended  their  flocks  of  sheep,  and  piped  them 
from  place  to  place.  Amid  these  fields  the  skylarks  rose  in 
hundreds  at  the  dawn,  while  yet  the  great  white  daisies  and  the 
golden  marigolds  were  rimmed  with  dew ;  and  there,  too,  at  the 
setting  of  the  sun,  when  the  heavens  were  a  sea  of  crimson 
waves,  and  the  first  star  flashed  on  the  purple  mountains, 
nightingales  sang  from  cypress  tree  to  cypress  tree,  until  the 
darkening  plain  was  flooded  with  song. 

The  monuments  by  the  roadside  were  a  constant  wonder  to 
travellers.  During  hundreds  of  years,  as  great  men  died,  the 
rich  and  noble  families  of  Rome  had  built  and  added  to  them, 
until  both  sides  for  miles  were  lined,  with  only  little  distances 
between  them.  Some  were  large  as  a  house,  with  doors  and 
windows ;  others  were  small  and  beautiful  as  an  English  tomb- 
stone :  some  were  plain  and  square  and  solid  ;  others  round,  and 
ornamented  with  sculptured  figures.     They  were  in  many  colours — 


476  THE    GOLDEN    PILLAR. 

white,  pink,  green,  and  black  marble,  red  and  grey  granite,  black 
lava,  grey  slate,  white  limestone,  and  brown  and  red  brick ; 
and  all  had  Latin  words  saying  whose  they  were.  The  way  is 
still  lined  with  their  ruins — some  mere  heaps  of  bricks,  others 
worn  and  broken  but  beautiful  still. 

There  Paul  saw  the  villa  of  Gallienus,  and  his  tomb  of  brick 
two  stories  high,  with  sculptured  figures  standing  in  their  niches ; 
and  across  the  way  he  could  read  the  name  as  he  passed  on  the 
brick  tomb  of  Veranius,  who  died  in  Britain.  A  little  farther 
on,  in  a  space  amid  trees,  he  saw  the  small  temple  of  Hercules. 
And  we  need  not  doubt  that  when  they  reached  the  monument  of 
the  great  Julian  family,  which  Julius  would  not  pass  without 
turning  his  eyes  that  way,  he  would  tell  Paul  that  there  rested 
the  ashes  of  his  ancestors.  When  they  came  to  the  spot  where 
the  six  champions  slew  each  other,  he  saw  the  splendid  tower 
built  to  their  memory.  But  they  were  still  six  miles  from  the 
heart  of  Rome,  and  the  way  was  lined  with  more  and  yet  more 
monuments,  to  poets,  orators,  historians,  statesmen,  soldiers ;  and 
if  the  villa  of  Seneca  was  pointed  out  to  him  as  he  passed,  he 
would  look  with  interest  at  the  place  where  lived  the  greatest 
living  statesman,  the  brother  of  the  gentle  Gallic,  his  friend. 
Passing  through  the  arch  of  Drusus,  which  was  then  new,  and 
is  standing  there  still,  with  sides  worn  and  ornaments  broken, 
and  whose  roof  once  echoed  to  the  sound  of  his  horse's  feet,  they 
were  yet  a  mile  from  the  golden  milestone. 

There  were  no  walls  to  this  vast  city,  for  the  people  said  sol- 
diers were  their  walls,  and  every  man  a  brick.  There  had  once 
been  a  wall,  but  so  long  ago  that  the  most  of  the  city  was  outside 
it  now.  The  next  arch  was  the  low  dark  tunnel  of  the  Capena 
gate,  in  the  wall  of  the  old  city,  used  to  bear  up  an  aqueduct 
that  could  not  be  made  water-tight,  so  that  the  water  dripped  and 
dribbled  upon  all  who  passed  through,  rich  and  poor,  slave  and 
emperor.  Shaking  the  water  from  his  brown  cloak,  Paul  rode 
on  into  the  heart  of  the  ancient  city. 


The   Golden   Pillar. 

ROME  :    AGED    50-60. 

THE   great   Latin  Way  had   now  joined   the   Appian  Way, 
adding  another  stream  of  traffic  to  the  crowded  pavement ; 
and  Paul  rode  up  a  street  where  the  dwellings  of  the  poor,  some  of 


THE    GOLDEN    PILLAK.  477 

wood,  some  of  brick,  rose  like  black  walls  on  each  side — not  unlike 
the  old  tenements  of  Edinburgh,  but  without  windows,  and  so 
high  that  the  sunshine  could  hardly  reach  the  cobble-stones. 
When  he  passed  a  rich  man's  dwelling,  a  high  brick  wall  kept 
the  line  of  street,  and  within  was  a  garden  of  trees  and  grass 
and  flowers,  and  a  house  like  a  prince's  palace.  For  in  that 
great  city  there  were  only  two  classes  of  people,  the  rich  and 
the  poor,  with  no  bridge  between  them. 

In  tliat  street  between  the  hills,  sometimes  overshadowed  by 
gloomy,  dirty  tenements  of  poverty,  sometimes  fringed  with 
flickering  leaves  of  high  trees,  that  leaned  their  green  arms  on 
the  brown  brick  walls,  he  saw  gates  opened,  and  wealthy  Romans 
riding  out,  in  soft  white  robes,  with  slaves  clad  in  yellow  running 
behind.  He  saw  fair-faced  women — unveiled,  with  slippered  feet, 
and  robes  like  those  of  the  men,  a  bright  shawl  of  pale  green, 
blue,  or  rose  cast  over  their  coiled  hair  to  shelter  them  from  the 
sun — being  carried  past,  or  standing  at  the  booths  and  shops. 
But  the  mass  of  the  people  who  crowded  the  street,  the  lanes, 
the  squares,  were  working  men  and  working  women — joiners, 
masons,  weavers,  spinners,  brick-makers,  labourers,  fruit-gatherers, 
flower-sellers — all  poor,  and  almost  all  slaves.  And  the  soldiers, 
mingling  with  the  people,  seemed  to  have  been  gathered  up  from 
every  nation  in  the  world. 

The  poets  of  Rome  loved  to  sing  that  their  city  was  built  upon 
seven  hills ;  but  when  Paul  rode  in,  these  hills  were  so  covered 
with  houses  that,  like  the  hills  of  London,  they  were  not  easily 
seen.  There  were  no  rocky  heights  of  crag  and  cliflf,  crowned 
with  white  pillared  temples,  like  the  Parthenon  of  Athens;  and 
yet  there  were  many  temples  of  dazzling  marble,  dark  stone,  and 
brown  brick,  but  they  did  not  stand  out  against  the  sky. 

The  main  streets  crept  along  the  bottom  of  the  hollows  between 
the  hills,  lined  with  the  houses  of  the  poor,  having  wooden  outside 
stairs  from  flat  to  flat,  and  passages  leading  off*  to  the  small  rooms. 
But  the  size  of  the  houses  mattered  little,  for  the  people  lived  so 
much  in  the  open  air  that  they  were  only  used  for  sleeping  and 
being  ill  in.  Higher  up  the  hillsides  were  the  houses  and  gardens, 
the  palaces  and  parks,  of  the  rich  and  noble  citizens. 

After  the  narrow,  dripping  Capena  gate  the  street  widened 
out,  and  in  front  of  him,  filling  up  the  valley  between  the 
Aventine  and  Palatine  hills,  Paul  saw  the  largest  circus  in  the 
world,  with  rows  of  wooden  seats  upon  the  hillsides  for  one 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  people.  On  one  occasion,  when  the 
applause,  like  the  roar  of  the  sea,  disturbed  the  repose  of  the 
emperor  Caligula  in   his   palace  on   the   Palatine  Hill,  he   sent 


478  THE   GOLDEN   PILLAR. 

soldiers  down  to  cudgel  the  people  all  out  of  it.  And  there,  too, 
the  present  young  emperor,  Nero,  would  drive  a  four-horse 
chariot,  that  he  might  hear  the  sweet  thunders  of  applause  from 
so  vast  a  throng. 

At  the  Circus  Maximus  the  queen  of  roads  turned  aside  into 
the  Road  of  Triumph,  and  on  the  top  of  the  Palatine  Hill  Paul 
saw  the  white  temple  of  A|)ollo,  surrounded  with  palaces  and 
kings'  gardens.  Along  this  Hoad  of  Triumph,  for  hundreds  of 
years,  had  passed  victorious  emperors  and  generals,  bringing  in 
their  captive  kings  and  princes,  with  the  choicest  of  their  barbaric 
spoils  of  war,  in  triumphal  procession  into  the  heart  of  the  city. 
Not  ten  years  before,  Caractacus,  a  king  of  Britain,  and  his  wife 
and  daughter,  were  led  along  that  way  among  gazing  thousands ; 
and  now  Paul,  unnoticed,  came,  whose  name  would  outlive  them 
all.  Passing  round  the  Palatine  Hill,  he  entered  the  Sacred 
Way,  between  it  and  the  Esquiline  Hill,  and  in  front  of  him 
rose  the  Capitoline  Hill,  the  highest  in  Ptome,  and  the  temple  of 
Jove,  the  greatest  of  their  temples.  But  the  heart  of  Home 
throbbed  in  the  hollow  below,  where  the  rulers  of  the  empire 
and  masters  of  the  world  gathered  in  the  Forum.  The  road 
into  it  was  lined  with  ancient  and  beautiful  temples,  among 
them  Castor  and  Pollux,  Minerva,  Augustus,  and,  most  prized 
of  all,  Vesta,  in  which  young  ladies,  chosen  from  the  highest 
families  in  the  land,  served  as  priestesses,  and  had  kept  a  small 
fire  burning  for  hundreds  of  years,  which  it  would  be  death  to 
let  go  out. 

The  vast  floor  of  this  public  square  was  covered  with  coloured 
pavement,  and  down  each  side  and  across  the  end  were  temples 
and  public  buildings.  There  stood  the  marble  pillar,  plated  with 
gold,  that  gave  mileage  to  the  world ;  and  there  stood  the  even 
greater  rostrum,  that  gave  the  world  its  laws.  From  the  green 
trees  upon  the  Capitoline  Hill  magnificent  buildings  looked  down 
upon  this  Parliament  of  Rome.  Surrounded  with  temples,  the 
city  merchants  came  there  to  buy  and  sell,  orators  to  speak, 
philosophers  to  teach,  poets  to  recite,  and  nobles  to  discuss 
public  affairs ;  for  they  liked  to  think  that  this  was  the  centre 
of  the  universe,  and  that  from  yonder  golden  pillar,  like  arteries 
from  a  throbbing  heart,  roads,  wide,  smooth,  paved,  passed  out 
through  the  city  gates,  out  into  the  green  country,  over  hill  and 
over  valley,  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.  And  "  All  roads  lead  to 
Rome  "  was  their  proud  proverb. 

For  hundreds  of  years  the  kingdoms  of  the  world  were  plun- 
dered to  enrich  this  hollow  among  the  hills.  The  loveliest  statues 
of  Athens,  the  richest  gems  of  Ephesus,  the  treasures  of  nations 


THE    OLDEST    BRIDGE.  479 

and  kings,  were  in  these  temples,  libraries,  museums,  courts  of 
justice,  palaces,  mansions,  crowded  about  this  piece  of  pavement, 
and  looking  down  upon  it  through  the  quivering  trees  of  the  sur- 
rounding hills. 

Entering  through  these  narrow  valley  streets,  the  surround- 
ings of  that  single  golden  pillar  would  deeply  move  a  Jew  who 
knew  something  of  the  chain  which  Roman  hands  laid  on  other 
countries;  and  Paul  would  feel  a  sinking  of  heart  as  he  looked 
round  him  upon  these  magnificent  signs  of  idolatry — not  in  a 
city  like  Athens,  whose  strength  had  departed,  but  in  a  city  in  full 
power,  where  everything  spoke  of  the  triumph  of  force  over  right, 
and  of  the  armies  of  Rome  over  the  world.  If  he  went  with 
Julius  to  the  camp  of  the  praetorian  guard,  through  the  city  to 
the  north-west  gate,  where  these  favoured  soldiers  lived,  within 
a  wide  square  surrounded  by  thick  walls,  he  would  ride  round 
the  Quirinal  Hill.  There  ten  thousand  picked  men  passed  their 
days  in  idleness,  excepting  for  occasional  marchings  for  healthful 
exercise.  For  reasons  of  his  own,  the  emperor  liked  to  have  them 
there,  ready  to  draw  their  swords  for  him.  He  also  kept  a  number 
in  barracks  nearer  still  at  the  back  of  the  Palatine  Hill,  where  his 
palace  was ;  for  the  youthful  Nero  believed  more  in  the  swords  of 
his  soldiers  than  in  the  hearts  of  his  people. 

If  Paul  was  given  up  by  Julius  to  the  chief  in  command  there, 
it  would  be  to  Burrhus,  a  blunt  old  soldier  with  one  hand,  who, 
next  to  Seneca,  was  the  emperor's  chief  adviser.  He  was  head 
of  the  emperor's  prsetorian  guards,  but  it  is  not  likely  that  he  would 
personally  have  to  do  with  Paul,  although  he  might  hear  of  him. 
Paul  had  been  the  companion  of  soldiers  for  over  two  years,  and 
was  well  treated  among  them,  and  noAv  he  was  brought  into  the 
camp  of  the  most  splendidly  armed  men  in  the  Roman  service ; 
for  they  were  all  picked  men,  many  of  them  well-educated  and  of 
good  families,  and  by  them  he  was  to  be  received  with  unexpected 
kindness. 


The  Oldest   Bridge. 

ROME:    AGED    50-60. 

THE  written  report  from  Festus,  that  Paul  was  innocent  of  any 
offence  against  the  Roman  law,  and  that  his  appeal  was 
about  a  question  of  the  Jews'  religion,  and  the  report  of  Julius 
of  his  conduct  during  the  voyage  and  shipwreck,  would  be  greatly 
in  his  favour  with  his  new  masters.     It  would  no  doubt  be  by  the 


480  THE    OLDEST    BRIDGE. 

advice  of  his  friends  in  the  city  that,  after  living  for  a  short  time 
in  the  barracks,  he  asked  and  got  leave  to  live  in  a  hired  house 
outside,  where  he  would  keep  himself  and  his  soldier  guard  until 
the  day  of  trial.  His  friends  may  even  have  signed  a  bond,  and 
given  pledges  that,  if  allowed  this  liberty,  he  would  not  try  to 
escape.  It  was  a  glad  day  for  him  when  he  was  allowed  to  go 
beyond  the  high  barrack  walls  and  live  in  his  own  house  like  a 
citizen,  although  under  the  supervision  of  a  companion  soldier, 
who  would  take  care  to  have  the  small  brass  chain  always  fasten- 
ing them  together  when  his  superior  officer  came. 

There  were  many  thousands  of  Jews  in  the  city,  living  in  streets 
of  their  own,  in  the  very  lowest  part,  near  the  river.  They  were 
poor  and  despised,  and  did  not  succeed  in  becoming  rich  merchants, 
as  in  other  cities,  but  were  the  small  stall-keepers,  the  dealers,  ped- 
dlers, and  hawkers,  who  went  about  selling  their  wares  in  baskets 
and  sacks.  Yet,  strange  to  say,  they  often  talked  of  their  religion 
at  the  doors  of  the  houses,  and  found  the  Roman  women  willing  to 
listen. 

Jews  have  always  been  oppressed  in  Rome ;  and  down  almost 
to  our  own  time,  their  streets,  called  the  Ghetto,  were  surrounded 
by  walls,  and  the  gates  shut  by  the  police  every  night  at  sunset, 
and  opened  by  them  every  morning.  Long  before  Paul  came,  the 
emperor  Claudius  ordered  them  all  out  of  the  city ;  and  many  fled, 
like  Aquila  the  weaver,  and,  like  hiiii,  returned  again  under  the 
new  emperor.  They  lived  in  the  low-lying  ground  between  the 
Capitoline  Hill  and  the  river,  in  dirty  streets  that  were  often 
flooded.  A  bridge  crossed  the  Tiber  at  that  part  to  an  island 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  long  in  the  middle,  and  another 
bridge  stretched  to  the  other  bank ;  and  there,  on  the  low  land 
along  that  river-side  also,  the  Jews  were  crowded. 

Paul  wished  to  be  near  his  friends,  for  although  a  prisoner,  he 
could  not  be  idle,  and  it  is  likely  that  his  house  would  be  near  this 
part.  It  was  a  pretty  large  house,  for  meetings  were  held  in  it,  and 
besides  his  soldier  companion,  Luke  and  Aristarchus,  his  faithful 
friends,  would  live  with  him  ;  but  it  would  not  be  a  very  nice  or 
healthy  spot,  for  when  the  Tiber  overflowed  its  banks  in  winter  it 
flooded  all  the  houses  at  that  part. 

When  Paul  lived  at  the  end  of  the  narrow  Fabrician  bridge,  its 
hard  black  stones  had  already  been  worn  smooth  with  people's  feet, 
for  it  was  built  more  than  a  hundred  years  before,  by  Fabricius  ; 
and  it  stands  there  to  this  day,  the  oldest  bridge  in  Rome,  with 
the  builder's  name  carved  upon  it — one  of  the  very  few  places 
on  which  we  can  feel  certain  that  Paul  stood.  The  feet  of  two 
generations  of  laughing  girls  bearing  their  baskets  of  fruit  and 


THE    OLDEST   BRIDGE.  481 

flowers,  of  black-eyed  Jews  with  their  sacks  of  peddler's  wares, 
had  passed  over  it  before  Paul's  eyes  looked  on  that  stream  of 
city  life.  Two  thousand  years  later,  and  the  stream  has  not 
stopped,  for  human  feet  pass  over  it  still.  There  was  a  temple 
on  the  island  then  ;  there  is  an  hospital  now. 

In  his  letter  to  the  Christians  of  Rome,  Paul  said  he  would 
preach  the  gospel  to  them,  and  he  had  got  leave  to  preach  now. 
He  first  sent  a  message  by  his  friends  to  the  leading  Jews  of 
the  synagogue  that  he  would  like  to  speak  with  them  ;  and  some 
came  to  his  house,  and  he  told  them  how  he  came  to  be  there 
a  prisoner,  with  a  chain  on  his  wrist. 

"  Brothers,  although  I  have  done  nothing  against  our  people, 
or  the  religious  customs  of  our  fathers,  I  was  taken  a  prisoner 
in  Jerusalem,  and  delivered  into  the  hands  of  the  Romans, 
"When  they  had  examined  me,  they  wished  to  set  me  at  liberty, 
because  they  found  I  had  done  nothing  that  deserved  death.  But 
when  the  leaders  of  our  people  spoke  against  it,  I  was  forced  to 
appeal  to  Csesar,  but  not  because  I  had  anything  to  say  against 
our  nation."  He  thus  told  them  how  he  was  in  Rome,  and  next 
asked  their  sympathy  in  a  way  which  shows  us  he  considered  that 
their  common  religious  liberty  was  involved  in  his  case, — 

"  I  have  asked  you  to  come  here  for  this  reason,  that  I  might 
see  you,  and  speak  with  you  :  for  because  of  the  hope  of  Israel  I 
am  bound  with  this  chain."  And  he  held  up  his  right  hand  with 
its  light  brass  chain,  which  he  had  worn  for  two  years.  He  was  in 
chains  for  preaching  the  Jewish  Messianic  hope  of  the  Christ, 
their  Saviour. 

They  knew  he  was  a  follower  of  Jesus  the  Galilean  ;  and  after 
talking  with  him  in  a  friendly  way,  showing  that  although  they 
saw  him  for  the  first  time,  they  had  heard  of  him,  they  mentioned 
that,  as  a  synagogue,  they  had  got  no  instructions  from  the  council 
at  Jerusalem  about  him, — 

"We  have  not  received  any  letters  from  Judea  about  you,  nor 
have  any  of  our  countrymen  who  have  come  from  there  reported 
about  you,  or  spoken  any  harm  of  you."  They  were  thus  without 
orders ;  and  before  leaving,  they  expressed  a  friendly  wish  to  hear 
for  themselves  what  he  taught,  but  coupled  it  with  a  doubtful 
shake  of  their  heads.  To  these  Jews  of  the  old  religion  a  Christian 
Jew  was  a  perverse  man  who,  in  leaving  the  national  church,  had 
turned  his  back  on  Zion. 

"  We  would  like  to  hear  from  you  what  you  think.  As  for 
the  sect  called  Christians,  we  know  that  they  are  everywhere 
spoken  against." 

"Not  everywhere,"  would  leap  to  Paul's  lips,  as  he  thought 

(1,040)  31 


482  ALL   DAY    DISCUSSING    CHEISTIANITY. 

of  Antioch,  Corinth,  Epliesus,  Philippi ;  but  he  held  his  peace. 
Some  other  day  he  would  discuss  it  with  them,  and  perhaps  the 
man  in  the  chain  would  throw  some  light  into  their  dark  minds. 
And  so  they  left  him,  returning  to  their  brethren  of  the  synagogue 
across  the  river. 


All   Day   Discussing  Christianity. 

ROME:    AGED    50-60. 

PAUL  could  not  go  about  the  city  as  he  pleased,  for  while 
his  soldier  companion  might  loosen  the  small  brass  chain  in 
the  house,  he  would  not  let  him  go  out  into  the  street  alone,  or 
even  without  their  being  chained  together  like  hunting  dogs. 

It  soon  became  plain  that  his  case  would  not  come  on  quickly. 
No  doubt  there  were  many  cases  from  all  parts  of  the  empire 
to  be  heard  before  his  would  be  reached,  and  even  then  it  would 
not  go  on  until  his  enemies  were  present  from  Jerusalem  to  accuse 
him,  and  with  their  witnesses  to  prove  what  they  said,  if  the  court 
should  ask  for  evidence.  Neither  could  he  tell  when  he  might  be 
wanted,  nor  when  his  liberty  might  be  taken  away.  He  had  no 
time  to  lose.  Once  more  he  began  work  in  a  city  with  his  own 
countrymen  of  the  synagogue.  Whereas  he  used  in  years  gone 
by  to  smite  sharply  upon  the  differences  between  the  old  and  the 
new  religion,  in  these  later  days  a  quieter  spirit  prevailed,  and 
he  liked  to  dwell  upon  the  things  which  all  good  Jews  held  in 
common — belief  in  the  living  God,  in  obeying  His  will,  in  a 
Saviour  Messiah,  and  in  a  life  beyond  the  grave. 

The  synagogue  Jews  kept  their  word,  and  sent  a  messenger 
naming  the  day  when  a  number  of  them  would  come  to  his  house 
to  hear  what  he  had  to  say  for  Christianity,  of  which  they  had 
heard  such  bad  things.  Some  of  the  larger  houses  in  that  neigh- 
bourhood had  an  outer  brick  wall,  with  a  door  to  the  street. 
AVithin  was  a  small  courtyard,  with  wooden  sleeping-rooms  built 
round  it,  and  trees  for  shade ;  and  the  people  lived  and  took  their 
food  in  the  court,  and  only  slept  on  cold  nights  in  the  wooden  build- 
ings round  about.  If  Paul's  house  was  of  this  kind,  there  would 
be  room  for  a  pretty  large  meeting  of  Jews  in  the  court,  under  the 
blue  skies  and  the  lime  trees.  The  synagogue  Jews  came,  and 
many  of  his  own  friends,  and  sitting  on  their  straw  mats,  in  the 
sunshine  of  early  morning,  they  listened  with  respect  when  he 
spoke,  for  he  was  known  as  a  rabbi  from  Jerusalem. 

They  wished  to  know  what  he  thought  about  Christianity. 


ALL   DAY   DISCUSSING    CHRISTIANITY.  483 

He  had  not  had  such  an  opportunity  for  three  years,  for  he  was 
about  to  speak  to  the  leaders  of  several  thousands  of  Jews  in  the 
heart  of  Rome.  With  all  his  old  skill  he  explained  Christianity, 
telling  what  Jesus  said  about  the  kingdom  of  God — that  it  was 
not  an  outward  kingdom  of  kings  and  soldiers,  riches  and  honours, 
meat  and  drink,  but  an  inward  kingdom  of  the  righteousness, 
goodness,  and  peace  of  God,  in  the  hearts  of  men,  women,  and 
little  children  of  all  nations.  He  showed  them  from  the  Bible, 
and  sought  to  persuade  and  convince  them,  that  Jesus  the  Naza- 
rene  was  the  Christ  who  should  come,  repeating  passages  from  the 
books  of  Moses,  and  the  books  of  the  prophets,  with  which  they 
were  all  familiar. 

As  usual  he  was  interrupted  with  remarks  and  questions, 
which  led  to  long  arguments ;  and  so  deeply  in  earnest  were  these 
Jews  that  they  remained  all  day  from  morning  to  evening,  sitting 
on  their  little  carpets,  gravely  talking  and  discussing  together,  and 
partaking  at  intervals  of  the  bread  and  fruit  that  would  be  handed 
to  them — a  strange  congregation  indeed.  Paul  was  anxious  that 
his  countrymen  should  come  to  some  agreement  among  themselves 
to  become  Jewish  Christians,  as  so  many  had  done  in  Jerusalem 
and  elsewhere.     But  that  was  not  to  be. 

Having  argued  long  with  him  and  with  each  other,  a  few 
were  convinced  of  the  truths  of  Christianity,  and  taking  up 
Paul's  cause,  argued  with  their  own  friends  until  the  evening; 
but  they  were  unable  to  convince  them.  The  stars  in  the  sky 
brought  the  meeting  to  an  end,  and  those  who  would  not  believe 
Paul's  message  rose  to  go,  but  not  until  he  gave  them  a  warning, 
in  words  which  show  that  his  temper  had  been  roused  by  things 
that  were  said,  for  he  chose  a  very  cutting  passage  from  the 
prophet  Isaiah  for  his  parting  message  : — 

"It  is  indeed  true  what  God  said  to  your  forefathers  by  the 
prophet  Isaiah, — 

Go  to  this  people  and  say, 

When  they  hear,  they  shall  not  understand  ; 

When  they  see,  they  shall  not  know : 

For  their  hearts  are  grown  heavy, 

Their  ears  are  dull  of  hearing ; 

They  have  shut  their  eyes,  lest  they  should  see, 

And  should  hear  with  their  ears,  and  understand  with  their 

hearts, 
And  God  should  turn  again,  and  heal  them." 

And  he  added  these  words  of  his  own,  which  he  knew  would 
rouse  them, — 


484  THE    SIGN    OF    THE    FISH. 

"Know  therefore  that  this  salvation  of  God  is  also  for 
foreigners,  and  that  they  will  hear  it." 

When  his  countrymen  from  the  synagogue  left  the  house, 
they  did  not  go  threatening  to  have  him  punished,  for  as  they 
passed  over  the  Tiber  bridge  and  home  through  the  river-side 
streets  they  continued  their  discussion,  some  saying  that  Paul 
was  right,  but  the  most  of  them  saying  he  was  quite  wrong. 


The  Sign  of  the  Fish. 

ROME:     AGED    50-60. 

PAUL  was  not  the  only  Jewish  prisoner  awaiting  his  trial  in 
Rome.  When  Felix  ceased  to  be  governor,  he  sent  some 
Jewish  priests  thither,  and  so  slow  was  the  process  of  the  law 
that  they  were  not  set  free  for  three  years,  and  then  only  because 
Josephus,  the  great  Jewish  historian,  got  them  liberated.  Paul 
was  more  fortunate  than  they,  for,  instead  of  being  kept  in  vaults 
beneath  the  palace  buildings,  or  even  in  the  soldiers'  barracks,  he 
was  allowed  to  pay  for  a  house  of  his  own  and  live  there. 

In  this  vast  city  Jews  were  despised  for  their  religion,  but 
Christians  were  ridiculed.  That  people  should  worship  a  Jew 
who  was  crucified  by  Roman  soldiers,  and  say  that  He  was  alive, 
was  a  thing  at  which  the  rich  smiled  and  the  poor  jeered.  As 
Paul  said  in  one  of  his  letters,  they  looked  upon  it  as  foolish- 
ness. Soldiers,  work-people,  and  slaves  had  a  coarse  gibe  which 
they  flung  at  any  companion  who  became  a  Christian.  They 
said  he  worshipped  an  ass,  and  drew  a  figure  of  a  man  on 
a  cross  with  an  ass's  head.  But  among  themselves  the  Chris- 
tians had  another  sign  for  their  religion,  that  of  a  fish,  because 
in  Greek  there  were  five  letters  in  that  word  which  stood  for 
"Jesus,"  "Christ,"  "Son,"  "God,"  "Saviour."  And  often  when 
they  dared  not  speak,  they  drew  a  fish  in  the  dust,  and  quickly 
rubbed  it  out  with  their  foot,  and  that  was  sign  enough.  It 
is  not  known  who  introduced  Christianity  to  Rome,  but  it  was 
done  years  before  Paul  came ;  and  as  in  other  cities,  their  meet- 
ings were  at  first  small  gatherings  held  in  one  another's  houses. 
Aquila's  house  was  one.  When  their  numbers  grew,  and  they 
wished  a  large  meeting,  it  was  held  outside  the  city  at  night,  for 
safety,  in  some  hollow  of  the  ground,  a  sand-pit,  a  quarry,  or  a 
cave,  where  they  met  together  in  silence  in  the  dark,  no  one 
knowing  their  numbers  or  seeing  their   faces,  while  some   ono 


THE    SIGN"   OF   THE    FISH.  485 

addressed  them,  and  then  they  sang  hymns  and  prayed.  Before 
Paul's  letter  was  read  by  the  light  of  a  shaded  lantern  to  these 
hushed  crowds  in  their  secret  meetings,  they  had  been  visited  by 
leading  Christians,  some  of  whom  were  relations  of  his  own, 
whom  he  called  apostles. 

Long  before  there  were  any  Christians  in  Rome,  people 
here  and  there  had  been  attracted  by  the  Jews'  religion,  and 
their  belief  in  a  living  God ;  and  while  they  did  not  obey  their 
religious  rules,  they  believed  in  God,  and  worshipped  Him. 
Women  especially  were  thus  attracted,  and  among  the  ladies  of 
the  city  some  became  believers  of  this  kind.  When  they  came 
to  hear  about  Christianity  they  were  drawn  to  it,  and  a  few 
openly  and  some  secretly  joined  the  Christians.  So  that  when 
Paul  came  there  were  many  secret  Christians  among  the  slaves 
and  common  people,  and  in  the  houses  of  the  rich,  and  even  in 
the  palace  itself.  Their  secrecy  was  not  yet  because  they  would 
be  punished  for  being  Christians,  but  because  they  would  be 
ridiculed  and  laughed  at  for  believing  in  a  Jew  who  was  cruci- 
fied as  a  criminal  within  the  recollection  of  living  men.  But 
before  long  they  would  be  hunted  through  the  streets  of  the 
city  like  wild  animals  for  their  faith  in  Him. 

But  Paul  was  no  secret  Christian.  He  was  not  ashamed  of 
Jesus  the  crucified  One,  and  he  let  it  be  known  through  his 
friends  that  he  would  teach  the  new  gospel  to  all  who  cared  to 
come  to  his  house,  and  that  was  a  bold  thing.  The  officer  in  charge 
of  the  prisoners  would  know  why  he  was  in  a  chain,  and  must 
have  had  most  indulgent  orders  about  him,  when  he  was  allowed 
to  teach  and  preach  this  new  religion  every  day.  He  would  know, 
too,  that  in  Paul's  letter  to  the  Christians  he  had  bade  them  obey 
their  Roman  rulers,  pay  the  Roman  taxes,  and  be  careful  not  to 
break  the  Roman  laws.  This  was  only  a  proper  return  for  the 
liberty  which  was  allowed  to  the  Christians  to  follow  their  own 
religion,  and  openly  explain  it.  And  as  the  officer  listened  to  what 
Paul  said  to  those  who  came  to  visit  him,  he  saw  that  what  he 
taught  would  make  good  men  and  law-abiding  citizens. 

Slaves  from  the  docks,  joiners  from  the  saw-pits,  shopkeepers 
from  the  markets  came  openly  after  the  work  of  the  day,  to  sit 
in  the  dusk,  and  listen  and  weep,  brought  thither  by  men  who 
spoke  secretly  to  them  and  bade  them  come.  Ladies,  too,  came 
privately,  leaving  their  houses,  beautiful  with  coloured  marbles, 
sweet  with  the  perfume  of  fountains  and  flowers,  rich  with 
treasures  of  art,  and  lovely  with  gilding  and  painting.  Cloaked 
in  blue  and  purple,  with  soft  hoods,  shawls,  and  veils  to  hide 
their  fair  faces,  they  walked,  accompanied  by  trusted  slaves,  in  the 


486  HIS    CHAIN    AND    GUARD. 

sweet  morning  sunshine,  to  the  Jews'  quarter  by  the  river-side. 
They,  too,  had  been  bidden  come  by  soft- voiced  men,  whispering 
to  their  slaves  at  the  gate,  who  whispered  in  turn  to  them.  And 
they,  too,  wept,  not  for  lives  spent  in  crime  and  wickedness,  but 
for  lives  lived  amid  heartless  luxury,  wicked  cruelty,  and  wild 
revelry.  To  them  Paul  spoke  of  the  kingdom  of  God  in  this 
world,  and  of  Jesus  the  Christ;  and  as  they  listened  to  the 
Jew  in  the  brown  cloak,  with  the  chain  on  his  wrist,  they  be- 
lieved him,  and  resolved  to  live  the  higher  life  as  seen  in  Jesus, 
who  died  for  them. 


His  Chain  and  Guard. 

ROME  :    AGED  50-60. 

BUT  there  were  other  gatherings  in  his  house,  day  by  day,  week 
by  week,  of  the  Christians  of  Rome,  some  of  whom  had  been 
followers  of  the  Nazarene  for  twenty- five  years.  We  are  not  told 
what  he  said  to  these  people  at  their  meetings,  and  again  we  turn 
to  his  letter,  as  the  only  record  of  his  thoughts  towards  them  : — 

"I  Paul,  the  slave  of  Jesus  the  Christ,  called  by  Him  to  be 
an  apostle,  and  to  teach  the  gospel  of  God,  promised  by  the 
prophets  in  the  Bible,  who  wrote  about  Him,  wdio  was  descended 
from  King  David,  shown  to  be  the  Son  of  God  with  power, 
according  to  the  spirit  of  holiness,  by  the  resurrection  of  the  dead. 
The  apostle  of  our  Lord,  through  Him  I  have  received  grace  and 
a  ministry  to  preach  obedience  to  the  faith,  for  His  sake,  to  all 
nations  :  of  whom  you  are  one,  called  with  a  voice  to  be  Jesus 
the  Christ's.  May  grace,  mercy,  and  peace,  from  God  our  Father, 
and  the  Lord  Jesus,  be  upon  you  all,  beloved  of  God,  who  have 
heard  the  voice  calling  you. 

"I  thank  my  God  through  Jesus  that  your  faith  in  Him 
is  known  throughout  the  whole  world.  God  knows,  whom  I 
serve  in  spirit  according  to  the  gospel  of  Jesus,  how  constantly  I 
have  mentioned  you  in  my  prayers ;  making  request,  if  by  any 
means  at  last  I  might  be  prospered  by  the  will  of  God  to  come 
to  you.  I  have  longed  to  see  you,  that  I  might  give  you  some 
spiritual  gift,  that  you  might  be  established,  and  that  I  might  be 
comforted  in  you,  and  you  in  me,  each  of  us  by  the  other's  faith, 
both  yours  and  mine.  I  would  like  you  to  know,  brothers,  that  I 
often  intended  to  come  to  you,  that  I  might  have  the  same  fruit 
in  you  that  I  have  had  in  other  nations  ;  but  I  have  been  hindered 
hitherto.     For  I  felt  bound  to  go  both  to  Greeks  and  strangers, 


HIS   CHAIN    AND   GUARD.  48'r 

to  the  wise  and  the  foolish.  And  now,  with  all  the  power  that  is  in 
me,  I  am  ready  to  preach  the  gospel  to  you  that  are  in  Rome  also. 

"  I  am  satisfied,  my  brothers,  that  you  are  filled  with  goodness 
and  knowledge,  and  able  to  advise  one  another.  But  I  boldly  put 
you  in  mind  of  these  things,  because  God  has  given  me  grace  to 
be  the  minister  of  Jesus  to  foreigners,  preaching  the  gospel  of 
God,  that  their  offerings  might  be  made  acceptable,  purified  by 
the  Holy  Spirit 

"  I  will  not  speak  of  other  things,  but  of  those  which  Jesus 
did  through  me,  in  the  power  of  God ;  so  that  from  Jeru- 
salem and  the  country  round  about,  as  far  as  Illyricum,  I  fully 
preached  the  gospel  of  Jesus  :  making  it  my  aim  not  to  preach 
where  the  name  of  Jesus  was  already  known,  so  that  I  might  not 
build  upon  a  foundation  laid  by  some  one  else.  For  Isaiah  wrote, 
They  shall  see,  to  whom  no  tidings  of  Him  hath  come :  and  they 
who  had  not  yet  heard  shall  understand.  And  so  I  was  hindered 
many  times  from  coming  to  you  ;  but  having  no  more  any  abiding 
place  in  these  regions,  I  resolved  to  come  to  Jerusalem,  then  to 
Rome,  intending  to  go  on  to  Spain." 

As  months  went  past,  instead  of  bringing  discredit  upon 
Christianity,  Paul,  being  brought  as  a  prisoner  amongst  the  sol- 
diers of  the  praetorian  barracks,  helped  to  spread  the  knowledge 
of  it,  not  only  through  the  soldiers,  but  also  among  their  relations 
in  the  city.  It  won  friends  in  the  emperor's  palace  on  the  Pala- 
tine Hill,  and  it  is  said  that  even  Poppsea,  the  emperor's  favourite, 
who  was  one  of  the  worst  of  women,  secretly  believed  in  the  Jews' 
religion,  and  favoured  Christians,  but  that  is  doubtful. 

The  Roman  soldiers  were  friendly,  and  from  the  way  Paul 
speaks  of  them  putting  on  and  off  their  helmets,  shields,  swords, 
and  bucklers,  he  was  deeply  impressed  with  the  obedience,  valour, 
and  power  which  he  observed  during  his  two  years'  life  amongst 
these  men,  and  which  fitted  in  with  something  in  his  own  nature. 
Many  of  them  would  come  to  hear  him  teaching,  and  he  may  have 
told  them  what  John  the  Baptist  said  to  the  soldiers  at  the  fords 
of  Jordan,  "  Hurt  no  man,  accuse  no  man  wrongfully ;  be  content 
with  your  wages."  We  can  imagine  his  conversation  with  the 
young,  well-born  soldier  in  purple  tunic,  leather  jerkin,  and  em- 
bossed breastplate,  as  he  sat  burnishing  his  brass  helmet,  and 
listening  to  the  gentle  man  to  whom  he  was  fastened,  wrist  to 
wrist,  by  a  few  feet  of  light  chain.  He  would  hear  of  the  gentle 
Galilean  who  was  taken  captive  in  an  olive  garden,  and  whom 
Paul's  countrymen  forced  Pilate  to  crucify  after  having  declared 
His  innocence.  He  would  hear  of  His  stainless  life,  terrible  death, 
burial  in  the  rose  garden,  and  of  the  women  who  went  thither  and 


488  HOPES    AND   FEARS. 

found  His  grave  empty,  and  of  His  appearing  to  them  and  many- 
others  who  were  still  alive ;  and  that  He  was  the  Son  of  the  living 
God,  and  Saviour  of  all  who  believed  in  Him  and  followed  Him. 
And  if  the  young  soldier  told  what  he  heard  to  his  sisters  at 
home,  we  can  see  how  the  seed  was  blown  over  the  city.  It  is 
not  difficult  to  understand  how  Christianity  spread  through  these 
praetorian  soldiers,  and  into  the  Roman  families  and  the  palace, 
for  Paul  would  speak  to  them  of  nothing  else ;  and  we  can 
understand  how  he  came  to  write  to  the  Christians  of  Philippi 
that  his  imprisonment  had  helped  Christianity  rather  than 
hindered  it. 

If  Paul's  house  was  beside  the  river,  he  would  see  the  crimson 
sunset  dyeing  the  waves  of  the  stream  as  it  bent  swiftly  round 
the  wide  field  where  the  soldiers  took  exercise,  to  broaden  out 
before  splitting  upon  the  island  of  the  two  bridges.  And  he 
must  have  often  stood,  with  his  youthful  guard  for  his  sole  com- 
panion, upon  the  steep,  narrow  Fabrician  bridge,  watching  the 
tawny  water  as  it  shot  under  his  feet  through  the  narrow  stone 
arch.  Lifting  up  his  eyes,  he  would  see  the  evening  clouds  of  red 
and  gold  quivering  in  heat  above  the  tapering  trees  upon  the  hills 
across  the  river,  where  gentlemen  had  their  country  houses,  their 
gardens,  parks,  and  pleasure-grounds.  And  often  his  thoughts 
would  follow  the  golden  track  of  the  setting  sun  to  other  lands 
and  other  cities,  which  he  knew  he  was  not  likely  to  see  soon, 
and  perhaps  might  never  see  again. 


Hopes  and  Fears. 

ROME  :    AGED  50-60. 

'npiME  was  passing ;  friends  were  coming  and  going  about  the 
-L  man  in  the  chain,  patiently  awaiting  news  of  his  trial, 
which  never  came.  His  faithful  friend  Timothy  had  followed 
him,  coming  in  a  later  ship,  and  was  now  in  Pome.  His  friends 
in  Philippi,  hearing  of  his  appeal  and  voyage,  sent  Epaphroditus 
with  money ;  and  we  may  be  sure,  knowing  what  money  could  do 
in  a  Roman  law  case,  they  would  send  a  good  sum ;  and  his  heart 
was  melted  with  their  kindness  and  practical  help. 

Four  years  had  gone  by  since  he  rode  with  Timothy  up  the 
valley  and  into  the  beautiful  city  of  Philippi,  overlooking  the 
plain  and  the  flashing  river.  There  he  first  preached  the  gospel 
in  Macedonia;   there  he  was  publicly  scourged  in  the  market- 


HOPES    AND    FEARS.  489 

place ;  and  there,  on  his  last  journey,  he  paused  to  eat  the  Pass- 
over with  friends.  The  Christians  of  that  city  seemed  to  think 
they  had  a  special  charge  over  him,  for  they  twice  sent  money  to 
him  at  Thessalonica,  and  now  they  had  sent  a  messenger  all  the 
way  to  Rome.  Perhaps  Lydia,  the  well-to-do  purple  cloth  mer- 
chant, with  whom  they  stayed,  stirred  up  her  friends  to  be  gener- 
ous ,to  the  wandering  preacher  without  wife  or  child,  who  gave 
so  much  to  others,  and  cared  so  little  about  himself. 

He  wrote  them  a  letter  from  Kome.  And  we  must  praise 
the  Roman  indulgence  which  allowed  him  to  teach  so  openly, 
and  receive  messengers  from  foreign  cities,  and  send  away  others 
with  letters  in  their  hand.  His  guards  saw  all  that  he  did. 
While  Paul  spoke,  and  Timothy  wrote  with  slow  pen  upon  his 
roll  of  papyrus  paper,  what  is  now  read  from  our  pulpits,  there 
was  ever  a  third  man  listening,  a  young  soldier  representing 
Rome,  who  would  report  to  his  officer  that  the  letter  was  written, 
and  what  was  in  it,  before  it  could  be  taken  away.  It  is  probable 
that  it  was  written  at  a  later  period  of  his  imprisonment,  but  we 
shall  consider  it  now  from  the  narrative  point  of  view.  The 
whole  letter  you  will  read  in  your  Bible. 

Once  more  he  joins  Timothy  with  himself  in  a  letter.  He  tells 
them  that  he  is  a  prisoner  for  the  defence  of  the  gospel,  and  to 
confirm  it.  The  things  which  have  happened  to  him  have  turned 
out  for  the  good  of  the  gospel  ;  for  through  his  being  chained  to  i 
a  soldier,  the  notice  of  the  praetorian  soldiers  and  all  about  the 
barracks  had  been  drawn  to  him ;  and  also  the  other  Christians 
in  Rome,  seeing  him  a  prisoner,  have  become  confident,  and  are 
not  now  afraid  to  speak  boldly  about  Jesus.  Some  who  preached 
Christianity  had  love  and  goodwill  to  him,  but  there  were  others 
who  preached  it  out  of  enmity  and  mischief.  They  knew  he  was 
a  prisoner  in  a  chain  in  Rome  to  defend  the  gospel,  and  his 
enemies  hoped,  by  so  speaking,  to  raise  up  affliction  against  him 
in  his  imprisonment.  But  he  was  in  good  spirits,  for  the  effect 
was  that  the  name  of  Jesus  was  being  made  known  everywhere ; 
and  he  rejoiced,  for  he  believed  it  would  all  help  to  save  him,  by 
the  Spirit  of  Jesus  and  their  prayers.  For  it  was  his  earnest  hope 
and  expectation  that  he  would  not  need  to  be  ashamed  of  anything, 
but  that  with  all  boldness  in  Rome,  as  elsewhere,  Jesus  would  be 
glorified  through  him,  whether  in  his  life  or  in  his  death. 

These  were  strange  words  for  the  young  soldier  to  hear  and 
report,  but  stranger  were  to  come.  He  was  in  doubt  as  to  what 
would  happen  at  his  trial.  No  one  could  tell  him,  and  lives  were 
light  things  with  the  emperor.  And  so  he  had  made  up  his  mind 
for  death,  and  yet  he  had  gleams  of  hope  that  he  would  be  set 


490  HOPES    AND    FEAES. 

at  liberty.  To  live  would  mean  more  work  for  Jesus,  to  die 
would  be  a  gain  to  himself ;  and  he  did  not  know  which  he  would 
prefer.  He  would  like  to  die  and  go  to  Jesus,  but  to  live  and 
work  on  would  be  better  for  others.  He  felt  confident  that  he 
would  live  through  it,  and  that  they  would  yet  rejoice  together 
over  a  great  victory,  when  he  came  back  to  them.  But  they 
were  to  live  lives  worthy  of  Jesus,  so  that  whether  he  came  or 
did  not  come  he  might  hear  good  of  them. 

He  told  them  of  his  hopes  and  fears,  and  gave  them  many 
warnings  and  advices.  If  his  life  was  to  be  offered  up,  like  a 
sacrifice  upon  the  altar,  for  the  cause  of  Jesus,  he  rejoiced,  and 
hoped  that  they  too  would  rejoice. 

He  hoped  to  send  Timothy  soon  to  them,  that  he  might  hear 
of  their  state ;  and  a  feeling  of  despondency  swept  over  him  as  he 
thought  of  certain  others  who  ought  to  have  helped.  He  had  no 
one  else  to  send  who  would  care  for  them  like  Timothy;  for  they 
all  sought  their  own,  and  not  the  things  of  Jesus.  But  they  knew 
the  proof  of  Timothy  that,  as  a  child  to  his  father,  he  had  served 
with  him  in  spreading  the  gospel ;  and  he  hoped  to  send  him  as 
soon  as  he  saw  how  the  trial  was  likely  to  go,  and  he  trusted  in 
God  that  he  might  soon  be  able  to  come  himself. 

Epaphroditus  had  reached  him  with  their  gifts,  for  which  be 
was  thankful.  He  almost  died  on  the  way,  risking  his  Ufe  for 
him,  but  had  recovered  and  been  sent  back,  for  he  was  longing  to 
see  them  again,  and  was  grieved  that  they  had  heard  of  his  ill- 
ness.    They  were  to  receive  him  with  joy  and  honour. 

In  other  letters  he  wrote  some  strange  things  about  women, 
which  seemed  to  debar  them  from  equal  rights  with  men  in 
Christianity.  But  life  broadens  as  men  grow  older,  and  now  he 
sent  a  message  to  Euodias  and  Syntyche,  and  bade  them  help  these 
two  women,  for  they  had  worked  with  him.  "  Rejoice  in  the  Lord, 
and  let  your  gentleness  be  known  unto  all  men." 

At  the  end  of  the  letter  he  spoke  again  of  their  kindness,  and 
gave  them  a  few  more  glimpses  of  his  feelings,  in  prospect  of  his 
trial.  He  rejoices  greatly  that  they  had  thought  of  him  and  helped 
him.  He  would  not  say  that  he  was  in  want,  for  he  had  learned 
always  to  be  contented.  But  they  did  well  to  have  sympathy 
for  his  afflictions.  When  he  first  came  to  Macedonia,  they  were 
the  only  Christians  who  had  a  fellow-feeling  with  him  in  giving 
and  receiving,  for  they  twice  sent  gifts  to  him  at  Thessalonica.  It 
was  not  the  gifts  he  valued,  but  their  kindness. 

He  had  everything  now  that  he  required  and  more ;  for  he  was 
filled,  having  received  from  Epaphroditus  what  they  sent,  like 
sweet-smelling   incense — a  gift  pleasing  and  acceptable  to  God. 


NERO    THE    MONSTER.  491 

And  God  would  fulfil  every  need  of  theirs.  The  Christians  with 
him  sent  greetings,  especially  the  Christians  of  the  emperor's 
household. 

What  would  be  the  thoughts  of  the  soldier  standing  by  as 
he  heard  of  Christians  in  the  palace  itself  1  And  what  did  he  think 
of  words  like  these, — 

"Finally,  brothers,  whatever  things  are  true  and  honourable, 
just  and  pure,  lovely  and  gracious  ;  if  there  be  any  praise,  think 
on  these  things.  What  you  have  learned,  received,  heard,  and 
seen  of  me,  that  do  :  and  the  God  of  peace  will  be  with  you  "  1 

And  thus,  though  with  chained  hands,  he  still  wove  together 
the  congregations  he  had  formed,  in  all  parts  of  the  Roman 
Empire,  with  the  heavenly  bonds  of  love  and  sympathy,  faith  and 
hope — greater  than  the  laws  of  kings,  stronger  than  the  armies 
of  nations. 


Nero  the  Monster. 

ROafE:    AGED    60-64. 

IN  Paul's  eyes  the  emperor  Nero  was  a  mere  boy,  for  he  was 
only  twenty -five  years  old.  He  was  not  the  son  of  the 
emperor  Claudius  ;  but  his  widowed  mother  pushed  him  forward, 
and  got  him  made  emperor  at  seventeen,  rather  than  his  half- 
brother  Britannicus,  who  was  the  rightftd  heir.  Before  he  had 
been  emperor  one  year  he  caused  the  other  boy  to  be  poisoned. 
As  years  passed  he  grew  to  hate  his  own  mother,  and  ordered  her 
to  be  put  to  death ;  and  his  ruffians  first  tried  to  drown  her,  and 
then  stabbed  her. 

He  married  the  old  emperor's  gentle  daughter  Octavia,  sister 
of  Britannicus,  but  he  never  loved  her ;  and  when  Paul  came  to 
Rome  she  was  degraded,  and  the  young  fiend  was  thinking  how 
he  could  put  her  to  death  and  marry  Poppsea  without  rousing 
Rome.  These  are  only  a  few  of  his  crimes,  given  that  you  may 
know  the  fiend  who  ruled  Rome,  and  to  whom  Paul  had  appealed 
in  the  name  of  Csesar.  A  boy  ruling  the  world,  who  could  do  as 
he  pleased  and  kill  whom  he  pleased,  Nero  rushed  into  all  forms 
of  unbridled  wickedness,  to  which  he  was  urged  by  bad  companions, 
until  his  crimes  and  suspicions  had  the  natural  effect  of  weaken- 
ing his  mind,  and  turning  him  at  times  into  a  positive  madman. 
This  dissolute  boy  had  been  taught  that  the  emperor  was  the  god 
of  the  nation,  and  could  do  no  wrong ;  and  that  alone,  if  believed, 
is  enough  to  turn  any  one  into  a  lunatic.     Besides  getting  the 


492  NERO    THE    MONSTER. 

people  to  worship  them  as  gods  in  temples,  the  emperors  of 
Rome  had  other  ways  of  securing  their  support.  They  drew  huge 
revenues  from  conquered  countries,  and  with  that  they  paid  for 
soldiers,  including  the  twenty  thousand  praetorian  guards,  with 
sharp  swords,  ready  at  trumpet-call.  Countless  cargoes  of  grain 
from  Egypt  and  other  lands  were  stored  in  huge  stores  behind 
the  shipping  wharfs  at  the  river-side,  and  this  they  served  out 
free  to  the  people,  until  in  Nero's  time  one  half  of  the  city  lived 
on  the  emperor's  corn  ! 

When  he  became  emperor,  he  had  the  sense  to  appoint  Seneca, 
his  old  tutor,  to  take  chief  charge  of  public  affairs,  and  Burrhus, 
a  comparatively  honest  man,  to  be  the  head  of  the  soldiers ;  and 
as  long  as  he  listened  to  these  two  the  affairs  of  Rome  went  well. 
But  soon  they  had  to  take  a  hand  in  his  criminal  acts,  for  to 
refuse  meant  death.  Maddened  with  indulgence,  intoxicated  with 
power,  the  young  emperor  became  filled  with  the  demon  of  dis- 
content. He  said  it  was  no  pleasure  to  him  to  be  worshipped 
as  a  god  unless  he  was  also  praised  as  a  man,  for  being  the  best 
poet,  singer,  actor,  guitar  player,  dancer,  and  charioteer  in  the 
world.  His  counsellors  were  appalled,  but  he  would  listen  to  no 
advice ;  and  Seneca,  Burrhus,  the  gentle  Gallio,  the  poet  Lucan, 
and  others  equally  cultured,  had  to  be  stage-managers  to  this  fool. 
They  packed  the  theatre  in  his  vast  gardens  with  people,  arranging 
for  them  to  cheer,  and  distributed  soldiers  to  see  that  they  did 
it,  whenever  the  weak  youth  appeared  in  snow-white  robes  and 
sang  with  husky  voice,  or  played  the  golden  lyre  with  trembling 
hands,  or  danced  with  thin,  shaky  legs,  or  recited  poetry  of  his 
own  making.  And  like  a  spoiled  child,  he  had  always  to  get 
the  first  prize  for  all  he  did.  But  these  were  trifles  compared  with 
the  feasting,  drinking,  revelry,  and  wickedness,  on  which  he  spent 
vast  sums  of  money,  forcing  the  nobles  and  their  families  to  take 
a  public  part  in  them,  before  all  the  people,  on  pain  of  offending 
him,  which  might  mean  death  and  confiscation. 

Paul  would  see  none  of  these  sights  in  the  theatre,  circus,  and 
king's  gardens,  but  would  hear  of  them,  and  of  other  deeds  of 
wickedness  and  folly  that  were  constantly  taking  place  in  the  city ; 
and  his  heart  must  have  despaired  when  he  thought  that  he  might 
have  to  plead  the  cause  of  Christianity  before  this  dissolute  youth, 
who  would  not  give  a  cup  of  red  wine  for  all  the  Christians  in 
Rome.  He  may  have  seen  him  driving  in  the  streets  or  riding 
in  the  praetorian  barracks.  And  if  he  did,  it  would  be  to  see  a 
youth  with  a  white  face,  long  yellow  hair,  small  cruel  eyes,  and 
a  heavy  chin,  a  cloak  of  amethyst  hue  hiding  his  stout  body  and 
spindle-legs,  and  round  his  neck  a  soft  silk  scarf,  held  close  to  his 


FESTIVALS    AND    THE    HIGHER    LIFE.  493 

throat  with  a  hairy  white  hand,  lest  his  cracked  voice  should  suffer 
from  the  air. 

And  when  Paul  went  into  the  street  chained  to  his  young 
soldier,  he  saw  the  palaces  of  the  knights  and  nobles  on  the  hills, 
but  his  sympathies  were  with  the  countless  thousands  who  slept 
by  night  in  those  towers  of  flimsy  wood  reared  on  bricks  that  lined 
the  narrow  streets  of  the  valleys.  To  a  thorough-going  Roman 
work  was  mean,  and  only  fit  for  slaves.  He  would  rather  do 
nothing  or  fight  than  work,  for  he  thought  it  unworthy  of  a  free- 
man. And  thus  it  was  mainly  slaves  who  built  the  houses,  toiled 
at  the  ships,  wharfs,  stores,  and  granaries,  and  did  all  the  useful 
work  about  the  city.  He  saw  the  people  busy  at  their  trades  in 
the  streets  and  markets,  and  heard  them  calling  their  wares — wine, 
flour,  oil,  fruit,  water,  and  a  hundred  other  things ;  while  ballad- 
mongers  sang,  and  beggars  craved  alms.  From  dawn  to  noon  was 
the  time  for  business  with  shopkeepers  and  tradesmen,  and  among 
the  rich  merchants  also,  who  walked  gravely  among  the  marble 
pillars  of  the  colonnades  at  the  Forum ;  and  in  the  forenoon  the 
women  and  children  went  to  the  temples  and  altars,  to  oflfer  gifts 
and  to  pray. 

At  noon  came  a  change.  As  soon  as  the  sun's  shadow  passed 
a  line  on  the  pavement  before  the  Hostilia  Curia  at  the  Forum, 
a  man  shouted  in  a  loud  voice  to  the  crowds  below,  and  the 
people  began  to  melt  away  homewards  for  their  mid-day  meal, 
and  shops  were  shut,  and  temples  closed.  In  the  afternoon  came 
amusements  in  the  vast  field  of  Mars,  at  a  bend  of  the  river  above 
Nero's  bridge.  Refreshed  by  a  short  sleep  when  the  sun  was  hot, 
the  men,  women,  and  children  came  out  in  thousands  to  see  the 
soldiers'  sham  fights,  and  the  games  of  running,  riding,  spear-throw- 
ing, quoiting,  jumping,  ball  play,  and  other  exercises  amongst  the 
young  men,  who  had  the  river  near  to  rush  into  and  cool  themselves 
for  the  next  game.  A  swimming  match  was  enough  to  line  the 
river  on  both  sides  with  thousands  of  cheering  and  laughing  people, 
for  they  loved  fun. 


Festivals  and  the   Higher  Life. 

ROME  :    AGED    60-64. 

THE  Romans,  like  the  Jews,  had  festivals  throughout  the  year, 
but  with  less  of  religion  and  more  of  play  about  them.  Their 
new-year  festival  was  in  March,  when  the  sweet  wild-flowers  began 
to  brighten  the  fields  and  hedges.     May-day  they  kept  with  dance 


494  FESTIVALS    AND   THE    HIGHER    LIFE. 

and  song,  decking  their  houses  with  flowers  of  the  fields,  and 
especially  the  pretty  statues  of  Flora,  saying  that  they  were 
indebted  to  her  for  all  these  sweet  gifts.  When  the  grapes 
were  ripe,  the  first  purple  cluster  was  broken  from  the  bough 
by  a  white-robed  priest  of  Jupiter,  and  that  was  the  signal  for 
tlie  vintage  and  the  August  festival  all  over  the  country.  In 
autumn  came  the  merry  festival  of  harvest-home ;  and  December 
brought  the  festival  of  Saturnus,  so  full  of  riotous,  drunken 
crowds  and  licensed  wickedness  that  if  we  wish  to  describe  a 
disgraceful  scene  of  drunkenness  we  call  it  still  a  saturnalia. 

The  priests  had  a  share  in  all  these  festivals.  At  each  of 
them  the  idols  of  one  temple  or  another,  and  sometimes  of  all 
together,  had  to  be  remembered  with  gifts  of  money,  clothing, 
food,  or  wine ;  and,  of  course,  as  the  idols  were  of  stone,  the  gifts 
were  taken  up  by  the  living  fingers  of  the  priests,  who  gave  the 
people  smooth  words  in  exchange.  And  when  they  carried  their 
images  through  the  principal  streets  in  procession,  some  knelt  as 
they  passed,  and  some  took  off  their  caps  and  smiled,  for  the 
people  were  not  religious. 

They  believed  that  the  images  in  the  temples  were  the  shapes 
of  unseen  beings  of  very  ancient  origin,  almost  as  numerous  and 
varied  as  the  stars  in  the  sky,  who,  somehow  or  other,  had  an 
influence  on  men's  lives.  They  attributed  misfortune  to  one,  and 
good-fortune  to  another;  and  their  religion  consisted  greatly  in 
seeking  by  gifts  and  prayers  to  secure  the  kindness  of  one  idol 
and  avoid  the  anger  of  others.  And  so  it  was  not  diflicult  for 
them  to  make  an  idol  out  of  one  who  had  so  much  power  for 
good  or  evil  as  the  young  emperor. 

Some  of  the  best  Romans,  and  among  them  Seneca,  said  they 
believed  there  was  only  one  true  God ;  but  while  the  Jewish  faith 
in  the  living  God  had  won  some  believers,  to  the  mass  of  the 
city  it  was  unknown.  They  left  religion  to  priests,  women,  and 
philosophers.  Honesty,  manliness,  obedience,  valour,  cheerful- 
ness, food,  drink,  shelter,  clothing,  and  amusement  were  high 
enough  for  a  Roman.  In  every  house  there  was  a  figure  of 
Vesta,  kept  behind  a  little  curtained  shrine,  where  women  prayed 
to  it,  and  to  their  Lares  and  Penates  ;  for  Yesta  was  supposed 
to  take  especial  interest  in  the  fire  upon  the  family  hearthstone, 
and  all  that  surrounded  it,  so  dear  to  housewives. 

Paul  would  go  into  few  houses  and  no  temples.  But  amid 
the  life  in  the  streets  he  would  not  miss  seeing  when  a  house 
door  was  wreathed  with  green  cypress  branches,  which  meant 
death.  He  would  see  the  body  brought  out  upon  a  painted  bier, 
dressed  in  the  long  white  toga  of   every  day,  to  be  carried  by 


FESTIVALS    AND    THE    HIGHER    LIFE.  495 

mourners  in  black  and  blue,  while  men  played  doleful  airs  on 
flutes,  and  paid  actors,  more  like  lunatics,  imitated  the  dead 
man's  words  and  actions,  while  his  sons  walked  with  downcast 
eyes,  and  his  daughters  shook  out  their  hair  and  shrieked. 

The  palace  of  the  young  emperor  was  frequented  by  the 
cleverest  dancers,  singers,  jokers,  story-tellers,  fencers,  and  verse- 
makers  in  the  gay  city,  most  of  them  young  men,  but  some  old. 
Ladies  in  rich  embroidered  dresses  of  rose  and  blue,  wearing 
costly  pearls,  their  hair  powdered  with  gold-dust,  reclined  on 
silk  couches  at  his  banquets,  and  had  to  listen  to  low  songs 
and  jokes,  and  see  his  nobles  drinking  themselves  stupid  from 
gold  and  jewelled  cups  that  sparkled  under  the  brilliant  lamps 
on  the  tables  loaded  with  flowers.  But  some  of  them  found  their 
way  to  the  house  in  the  hollow  by  the  river,  where  Paul  received 
his  friends  and  held  forth  the  light  of  Christianity  in  a  dark  city. 
And  whoever  gave  up  their  idols,  whoever  gave  up  their  sinful 
lives,  and  turned  their  faces  to  the  living  God  and  Jesus,  whether 
it  was  a  slave  with  his  back  scored  with  w  hip-cuts,  or  a  delicate 
lady  whose  hands  were  washed  in  goat's  milk  and  clothes  perfumed 
with  violets,  they  came,  and  came  again.  And  there  they  heard 
and  believed  that  their  bodies  were  the  temples  of  the  living 
God,  and  worshipped  Him  with  silent  prayers ;  and  that  they  had 
one  Master,  Jesus  the  Christ,  and  Him  they  served  in  secret 
We  do  not  know  what  he  said  to  them,  but  this  is  from  his  letter  : — 

"  We  who  are  strong  ought  to  bear  with  those  who  are  weak, 
and  not  to  please  ourselves,  but  our  neighbour ;  for  that  is  good, 
and  does  good.  Jesus  did  not  please  Himself.  We  read  in  the 
Psalms,  The  taunts  of  them  who  reproached  Thee  fell  upon  Me. 

"  Whatever  is  written  in  the  Bible  is  for  our  guidance,  that 
through  patience  and  comfort  in  them  we  might  have  hope.  May 
the  God  of  patience  and  of  comfort  grant  that  you  may  have  the 
mind  of  Jesus,  one  with  another;  and  that  you  may  together 
glorify  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  the  Christ.  Re- 
ceive each  other  as  Christians,  as  Jesus  received  you  all,  to  the 
glory  of  God.  For  the  Christ  has  been  made  a  minister  of  the 
Jews  for  the  truth  of  God,  that  He  might  confirm  the  promises 
made  to  their  fathers,  and  that  strangers  might  praise  God  for 
His  mercy.  It  is  written  in  the  Psalms,  I  will  give  praise 
to  Thee  amongst  strangers,  and  sing  to  Thy  name.  Rejoice,  ye 
strangers,  along  with  His  people.  Praise  God,  ye  strangers ;  let 
all  people  praise  Him.  And  Isaiah  wrote.  There  shall  be  a  root 
of  David,  and  strangers  shall  hope  in  Him  who  rises  to  rule 
over  them. 

*'Aud  now  may  the  God  of  hope  fill  you  with  all  joy  and 


496  WEDDINGS    AND    LITTLE    CHILDREN. 

peace  in  believing  these  things,  that  you  may  have  great  hope, 
in  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit." 

And  in  that  city  of  wickedness  men  and  women  cherished 
these  truths  in  their  hearts,  and  strove  to  live  the  higher  life  of 
truth  and  holiness,  as  seen  in  Jesus,  and  as  taught  by  PauL 


Weddings  and   Little  Children. 

EOME  :    AGED   60-64. 

IT  is  doubtful  if  the  young  emperor  ever  heard  Paul's  name. 
He  was  not  likely  to  seek  the  house  by  the  river,  to  learn 
the  truths  of  God  and  the  wisdom  of  life.  But  often  when  the 
streets  were  dark  he  slipped  out  of  his  palace,  with  his  young 
companions,  all  disguised  for  mischief,  and  some  prize-fighters  to 
see  that  they  did  not  get  hurt,  as  they  frightened  women  and 
thrashed  men  for  fun ;  but  if  any  one  struck  the  emperor  it  would 
cost  him  his  life. 

As  Paul  and  his  soldier  companion  walked  in  the  narrow 
streets  in  the  daytime,  he  saw  doors  garlanded  with  roses,  green 
leaves,  and  white  lilies,  that  told  of  a  marriage.  And  when  the 
wedding  party  came  out  to  walk  in  the  sunshine  to  the  temple, 
he  saw  the  bride  wearing  a  long  white  robe,  with  a  purple 
fringe  and  girdle  of  red,  her  hair  decked  with  coloured  ribbons, 
and  covered  with  a  veil  of  bright  yellow,  down  to  her  little  shoes 
of  the  same  gay  colour.  The  bridegroom,  with  close-cut  hair, 
walked  there  also,  in  a  white  robe ;  and  when  they  went  into  the 
temple,  he  took  her  hand  and  led  her  slowly  round  the  altar, 
and  then  came  a  little  play.  The  girl  fled  to  her  mother's  arms, 
and  the  youth  followed,  pretending  to  take  her  away  by  force, 
and  all  to  keep  them  in  mind  of  something  that  happened  to  some 
Sabine  women  some  hundreds  of  years  before. 

And  Paul  would  see  them  returning  home  again,  the  bride 
carrying  a  bunch  of  wool  in  one  hand  and  a  spindle  in  the  other, 
to  show  how  busy  she  was  going  to  be.  At  the  house  door  the 
bridegroom  went  in  fh'st,  while  his  young  companions  lifted  the 
bride  and  carried  her,  lest  her  foot  should  trip  at  the  threshold 
and  bring  ill  luck.  Then  the  bridegroom  presented  her  with  fire 
and  water  as  a  welcome,  and  the  keys  of  the  house,  which  needed 
no  explanation.  These  Roman  maidens  made  good  wives,  but, 
like  some  others  we  know  of,  they  would  not  marry  in  May,  or 
on  the  first,  fifth,  seventh,  thirteenth,  or  fifteenth  of  any  month, 


WEDDINGS    AND    LITTLE    CHILDREN.  497 

or  on  a   festival   day,  so  that  fixing  the  wedding  day  was  not 
so  easy  then  as  it  is  now. 

Paul  saw  children  also  in  the  sunny  streets  and  courts,  the 
loveliest  things  in  Rome,  with  hardly  any  clothing,  as  they 
played  at  their  childish  games,  the  little  boys  with  bouncing-balls, 
the  little  girls  nursing  wooden  dolls,  shaped  even  more  beautifully 
than  the  dainty  figures  which  charm  our  children.  And  some- 
times they  all  joined  in  skipping  the  rope,  or  in  holding  five 
knuckle  bones  on  their  palm,  and  tossing  them  into  the  air,  to 
see  how  many  they  could  catch  on  the  back  of  their  hand ;  and 
women  also  sat  in  quiet  corners  practising  this  by  the  hour.  But 
the  men  loved  games  of  strength  and  skill,  and  shows  in  the  circus 
and  the  racecourse  ;  and  when  the  young  emperor  passed  they 
tossed  their  caps  into  the  air  and  cried,  "Give  us  bread  for 
nothing,  and  games  for  ever  !  " 

And  so  the  common  people  were  fed  with  the  emperor's  corn, 
amused  with  his  games,  and  kept  in  awe  by  his  soldiers.  The 
nobles  of  the  city  were  the  priests  and  senators,  many  of  whom 
were  very  rich,  and  they  directed  the  movements  of  the  distant 
armies  of  the  empire,  while  the  emperor  played,  danced,  and 
sang  like  a  buffoon  amongst  his  low  companions. 

He  had  performed  before  these  nobles  with  packed  audiences 
in  his  own  circus  and  theatre,  within  his  beautiful  gardens  of  the 
Vatican,  across  the  Tiber ;  and  even  Lucan,  the  accomplished  poet, 
was  obliged  to  praise  him  in  polished  verses,  only  to  be  killed 
through  envy.  But  the  false  praise  of  lying  friends  had  the  natu- 
ral result.  Nero  wanted  more  applause,  and  thought  he  deserved 
it,  and  caused  more  theatres  to  be  built,  that  he  might  show  off  in 
them  to  more  crowds. 

The  people,  too,  who  lived  on  shows  and  excitement,  were 
hungry  for  more,  and,  like  wild  animals,  they  had  to  be  fed. 
They  had  long  been  used  to  spectacles  of  trained  gladiators,  who 
fought  and  killed  each  other  before  the  thousands  in  the  circus, 
but  that  was  too  tame  for  them  now.  More  frightful  spectacles 
had  to  be  devised,  in  the  vain  attempt  to  satisfy  the  thirst  for 
more  and  yet  more  bloodshed.  Wild  animals — bears,  panthers, 
and  lions — were  brought  from  foreign  countries  to  fight  with 
the  gladiators ;  and  in  the  night-time,  when  one  lion  woke 
another  in  the  dens  at  the  circus,  the  sound  of  their  terrible 
roaring  was  heard  in  the  still  city  as  if  in  an  African  desert. 
Slaves  were  brought  in  gangs,  and  criminals  from  foreign  countries, 
and  made  to  fight  in  bands  with  the  animals,  and  with  each  other 
and  the  gladiators,  until  there  came  to  be  a  steady  traffic  in  wild 
animals  and  wretched  men,  who  were  to  be  sacrificed  to  amuse 

(1.040)  32 


498  A   MOCK   CHARIOT   RACE. 

the  people  on  their  holidays.  For  the  emperor  with  the  ferocious 
temper  had  taught  the  people  to  think  that  cruelty  and  death 
were  amusing.  And  it  is  not  unlikely  that  many  of  the  prisoners 
who  came  with  Paul  from  Csesarea  were  saved  from  drowning 
only  to  die  in  the  circus. 

But  even  this  was  not  the  lowest  depth  of  horror  to  which  the 
emperor  fiend  would  drag  the  Roman  people,  for,  in  days  that 
were  fast  approaching,  he  would  cause  Christians,  men,  women, 
children,  to  be  seized  and  thrust  into  these  vast  public  rings,  and 
slain  there  by  men  and  beasts,  because  they  would  not  say  six 
little  words  and  curse  Jesus.  But  that  had  not  yet  begun,  al- 
though it  was  not  far  off. 


A  Mock  Chariot  Race. 

ROME  :    AGED  60-64. 

THE  wretched  and  debased  young  emperor  should  have  been 
full  of  vigorous,  generous  life ;  but  instead  of  that  he  was  a 
trembling,  ferocious  coward.  He  now  feasted  and  banqueted  in 
sight  of  the  people,  surrounded  with  nobles ;  but  he  wanted  more 
and  yet  more  praise,  and  resolved  to  perform  before  the  thousands 
of  the  lowest  class  who  crowded  the  Circus  Maximus.  His  old 
friend  Burrhus  tried  to  restrain  him,  but  one  day  he  sickened  and 
died,  and  it  was  whispered  along  the  streets,  and  written  in  chalk 
upon  the  walls,  that  Burrhus  was  poisoned.  His  place  was  given 
to  Nero's  young  favourite,  Tigellinus,  who  set  about  inventing  all 
kinds  of  infamous  and  debasing  spectacles  to  please  his  master, 
and  advised  him  to  brook  no  remarks  from  any  man.  Then 
Seneca  saw  that  the  court  was  no  place  for  him,  and,  on  the  plea 
of  ill-health,  retired  from  Rome  to  study  philosophy. 

With  Tigellinus  for  counsellor,  the  young  emperor  sank 
deeper.  Nobles  of  whom  he  was  jealous  or  afraid,  or  whose 
wealth  he  envied,  were  put  to  death.  And  he  killed  the  gentle 
Octavia,  to  make  way  for  the  beautiful  tigress  Poppsea.  Paul 
would  hear  of  Octavia's  death,  which  everybody  sorrowed  for, 
but  nobody  dared  to  openly  blame,  even  in  whispers. 

Tigellinus  urged  him  to  perform  as  a  common  charioteer, 
and  the  crowned  fool  consented,  and  ordered  a  proclamation  that 
he  would  drive  in  the  chariot  race  before  the  people  in  the  Circus 
Maximus.  The  seats  on  each  side  of  the  valley  were  crowded 
before   the   dawn   with   men   and   women,  slaves   and   freemen. 


A   MOCK    CHARIOT   RACE.  499 

sailors,  shepherds,  labourers,  tradesmen,  in  coarse  tunics  and  kilts 
of  brown  and  blue,  and  red  and  olive,  that  left  their  arms  and 
feet  bare.  Under  the  yellow  awnings,  drawn  over  with  cords  from 
the  tall  masts,  sat  senators,  knights,  magistrates,  and  officers,  with 
ladies  in  special  seats,  in  spotless  tunics  and  cloaks  of  soft  colours. 
They  dared  not  stay  away,  although  they  thought  it  was  the  most 
degrading  sight  that  Rome  had  ever  seen ;  but  we  think  that  kill- 
ing people  for  sport  was  worse. 

A  friend  was  to  drop  a  white  handkerchief  from  the  em- 
peror's box  as  the  sign  to  start,  and  another  was  to  decide  who 
had  won.  Never  were  seen  such  brilliant  chariots  of  crimson  and 
blue,  of  white  and  gold,  of  green  and  scarlet,  or  finer  horses 
shining  with  oil,  as  the  young  men  drove  them  rattling  in  from 
the  stables,  to  take  their  places  at  the  starting-post.  But,  of 
course,  the  emperor's  chariot  of  white  ivory  and  burnished  metal, 
his  four  jet-black  horses  with  tossing  plumes,  were  the  finest  of 
all,  as,  with  transparent  robe  of  shimmering  gold  clasped  on  his 
shoulder  with  amethysts,  he  drove,  smiling,  to  the  first  position. 
Each  driver  wore  his  racing  colours — red,  blue,  green,  yellow,  pink 
— so  that  the  people  could  make  their  bets,  as  if  it  were  a  real  race. 
The  emperor  fool  wore  amethyst  ribbons. 

The  white  handkerchief  fluttered,  and  with  a  yell  from  the 
drivers,  and  whirling  of  long  whips  that  cracked  like  pistol-shots, 
the  horses  leapt  forward,  galloping  at  full  speed  down  the  long 
circus,  the  yellow  sand  flying  from  their  beating  hoofs  and  spray- 
ing from  the  chariot  wheels.  The  men  yelled  and  whipped,  the 
emperor  yelled  and  whipped,  and  it  almost  looked  like  a  real 
race,  as  he  thought  it  was.  Wild  with  excitement,  he  glanced 
round  to  find  his  was  the  leading  chariot ;  for  if  any  horses  came 
abreast  of  him,  they  quickly  sank  back  again.  With  these  strong 
young  charioteers  it  was  indeed  a  race,  but  only  for  who  should 
be  second,  and  all  their  skill  was  required  to  keep  their  furious 
horses  from  dashing  past  the  emperor. 

They  had  not  galloped  the  length  of  the  circus  until  the  people 
saw  what  Nero  could  not  see — the  farce  that  was  going  on  behind 
him.  Yelling  and  flogging  his  horses,  he  did  not  hear  the  laughter 
of  the  multitude,  but  only  their  cheers  and  applause  as  he  flogged 
and  rattled  on.  Whether  he  went  twice  or  thrice  round  the  circus 
matters  little  :  the  result  would  have  been  the  same  if  he  had 
driven  till  midnight.  When  he  galloped  past  the  winning-post, 
whirling  his  whip  over  his  head,  and  yelling  like  the  madman  he 
was,  it  did  not  need  the  waving  hand  of  the  judge,  the  applause  of 
the  knights  and  senators,  or  the  hoarse  sea-roar  of  two  hundred 
thousand  throats,  led  on  by  the  soldiers,  to  convince  him  that  he 


500  ONE    MOEE    LETTER. 

had  won  in  the  greatest  of  all  chariot  races.  He  had  indeed  won 
the  most  enduring  crown  of  folly  that  has  ever  been  placed  on  an 
emperor's  brow  ! 

And  when,  bending  on  one  knee,  he  blushed  to  feel  the  wreath 
of  green  leaves  placed  upon  his  tangled  yellow  curls,  he  did  not 
know,  but  the  lowest  of  the  thousands  knew,  and  were  going  home 
to  tell  it  to  hundreds  of  thousands  more — what  a  fool  Home  had 
for  an  emperor. 


One  more  Letter. 

ROME:    AGED  60-64. 

DID  Paul  hear  the  applause  of  the  Circus  Maximus  that  floated 
over  Rome  like  the  roar  of  the  sea  in  a  storm  ?  And  if  he 
did,  had  his  case  been  heard  by  that  time  ?  We  know  that  Nero 
rode  in  that  race,  but  we  do  not  know  that  he  ever  heard  Paul's 
case.  He  would  leave  such  drudgery  to  others,  while  he  twanged 
guitars  and  drove  chariots. 

Luke  tells  us  that  for  two  years  Paul  lived  in  his  house,  openly 
teaching  all  who  came  to  him,  no  one  forbidding  him.  Thus  his 
trial  did  not  come  on  for  at  least  two  years,  which  was  not  a  long 
delay.  In  England,  an  appeal  to  the  House  of  Lords  sometimes 
takes  as  long.  And  when  we  consider  the  extent  of  the  Poman 
Empire,  the  distance  from  Csesarea,  whence  the  accusers  had  also 
to  come,  and  the  state  of  their  law  courts,  the  time  is  easily 
accounted  for.  If  the  reports  of  Lysias,  Felix,  and  Festus 
were  lost  in  the  shipwreck,  fresh  ones  would  have  to  be 
got.  The  Jewish  Sanhedrim,  as  accusers,  could  easily  get  years 
of  delay,  on  different  pretexts,  to  bring  witnesses  to  meet  these 
reports  of  Paul's  innocence  by  the  Roman  governors.  The  Jewish 
lawyers  would  have  a  difficult  case  to  prove,  but  it  must  not  be 
forgotten  that  there  were  Jews  of  position  who  would  use  their 
influence  and  their  purses  in  Rome  at  the  demand  of  the  high 
priest;  and  that  if  the  emperor  or  his  judges  took  a  dislike  to  a 
prisoner,  they  did  not  require  witnesses  or  anything  else  in  order 
to  keep  him  in  a  dungeon  or  instruct  his  execution. 

Paul's  companions  were  coming  and  going  round  him  in  circuits 
to  and  from  distant  cities,  like  comets  round  a  sun,  and  we  cannot 
fix  their  positions.  We  have  seen  Timothy,  holding  his  pen,  and 
about  to  go  to  Philippi ;  and  of  all  his  companions  he  was  the  one 
who  was  most  like  a  son  to  him.  He  became  a  teacher  at  Paul's 
request,  travelled  with  him,  wrote  his  letters,  went  his  messages ; 


ONE    MORE    LETTER.  501 

and  now  that  the  clouds  were  deepening,  the  old  man  yearned 
after  him  as  a  father  for  his  child,  and  sent  out  his  thoughts  to 
him  in  a  letter.  Though  written  to  Timothy,  it  is  for  all  young 
men,  and  should  be  read  in  full.  But  few  will  read  it  with  the 
tears  that  were  in  Timothy's  eyes. 

Timothy  is  his  beloved  child,  whose  tears  he  remembers,  and 
night  and  day  he  prays  for  him,  longing  to  see  his  face.  His 
mother  and  grandmother  were  true  Christians,  and  so  is  he;  and 
he  would  have  him  remember  the  day  in  Lystra  when  he  first 
called  him  to  be  a  teacher,  and  bade  him  stir  up  his  great  gift. 
Tmiothy  knew  that  Onesiphorus  gave  him  many  things  when  in 
Ephesus,  but  he  did  not  know  that  he  had  come  to  Rome  and 
searched  until  he  found  him,  and  was  not  ashamed  to  see  him  a 
prisoner  with  a  chain  on  his  wrist,  but  often  came  to  visit  him, 
refreshing  him  so  much  that  he  praised  God  for  him  and  for  all 
m  his  house.  Timothy  would  remember  how  all  the  other  men 
from  Asia  turned  their  backs  on  him,  particularly  Phygellus  and 
Hermogenes.  He  bids  him  choose  good  men,  and  teach  them 
what  he  learned  from  him,  and  warns  him  against  Philetus  and 
Hymeneus,  who  say  that  the  resurrection  is  past.  He  would  meet 
with  difficulties,  and  should  remember  what  Paul  himself  suffered 
in  Antioch,  Lystra,  and  Iconium. 

He  writes  also  of  things  that  are  happening  around  him,  in 
words  difficult  to  understand,  but  which  show  him  suffering  mis- 
fortune, and  so  deeply  despondent  that  he  thinks  his  death  may 
be  very  close  at  hand.  In  his  letter  to  the  Christians  at  Philippi 
he  said  he  was  ready  to  be  offered  up  like  a  sacrifice,  upon  an  altar 
at  Rome,  for  the  cause  of  Jesus.  He  now  tells  Timothy,  his  dear 
son,  in  fragmentary  phrases,  something  about  the  hearing  of  his 
case,  and  of  his  dread  of  what  is  coming.  Death  seems  to  be 
hanging  over  him. 

Alexander  the  coppersmith  did  him  much  harm,  and  God  will 
punish  him  for  it — perhaps  one  of  the  Asian  Jews  come  to  Rome 
as  a  witness  against  him.  Timothy  is  to  beware  of  him,  for  he 
greatly  withstood  his  words.  At  Paul's  first  defence  no  one 
took  his  part,  but  every  one  forsook  him.  May  God  forgive 
them  !  But  God  stood  by  him,  and  strengthened  him,  so  that 
through  him  the  gospel  might  be  fully  proclaimed,  and  all  the 
foreign  nations  might  hear.  He  was  delivered  as  out  of  a 
1  ion's  mouth,  and  God  will  still  further  deliver  him  from  every 
evil  work,  and  save  him  for  His  heavenly  kingdom. 

It  is  as  if  he  had  been  threatened  so  terribly  that  his  friends 
fled  for  their  own  safety,  believing  that  nothing  could  save  him ; 
and  yet  he  had  been  wonderfully  delivered  from  the  great  danger. 


602  CLOUD   PICTURES. 

He  is  already  being  oiFered  like  a  sacrifice  upon  an  altar,  and 
the  time  of  his  death  has  come.  Comparing  himself  to  a  gladiator 
in  the  circus,  or  a  racer  in  the  racecourse,  he  has  fought  a  good 
fight,  he  has  finished  the  race,  he  has  kept  the  faith.  But  his 
prize  would  not  be  a  wreath  of  fading  leaves  from  the  hand  of  a 
man,  but  a  crown  from  God.  And  yet  he  does  not  expect  death 
immediately,  for  he  thinks  there  is  time  for  the  letter  to  reach 
Timothy,  and  for  him  to  come  to  Rome. 

He  is  to  do  his  best  to  come  to  him  before  winter,  for  Denias 
has  forsaken  him  and  gone  to  Thessalonica,  Crescens  has  gone 
to  Galatia,  Titus  to  Dalmatia,  Tychicus  to  Ephesus,  and  there  is 
only  Luke  with  him.  He  is  to  bring  Mark,  for  he  is  useful, 
and  the  cloak,  books,  and  parchments  which  he  left  at  Troy.  He 
sends  greetings  to  Aquila  the  weaver  and  his  wife,  and  the 
family  of  Onesiphorus.  He  left  Trophimus  ill  at  Miletus,  Er-astus 
stayed  at  Corinth,  and  Eubulus,  Linus,  Pudens,  Claudia,  and 
others  sent  their  greetings.  It  is  a  letter  difiicult  to  follow,  and 
hard  to  understand,  as  a  record  of  what  was  happening. 


Cloud    Pictures. 

ROME:   AGED  60-64. 

tUKE'S  history  of  the  life  of  Paul  ends  with  the  two  whole 
-^  years  in  his  hired  house,  and  after  that  all  is  driving  mist 
and  drifting  cloud,  with  flashes  of  fire  and  openings  of  blue. 
What  happened  to  him  and  his  companions  in  the  whirling 
vortex  into  which  they  were  sucked  is  to  be  gathered  more  from 
the  history  of  the  doomed  city  than  from  any  writings  of  his 
own  or  his  friends.  By  that  time  the  heavens  were  darkening 
down  over  Jews  and  Christians  alike  in  Rome,  soon  to  burst  in 
the  most  terrible  persecutions  which  men  and  women  have  ever 
suffered.  Where  Paul  stood  amid  the  battling  clouds,  and  how 
long  he  fought  the  tempest,  we  do  not  know,  for  his  trial  and 
death  are  wrapped  in  obscurity.  We  have  gleams  of  his  figure, 
seen  amid  the  flashes  of  lightning ;  but  when  the  storm  has  passed 
he  has  disappeared. 

In  his  letters  all  is  cloudy  uncertainty.  Amid  the  clouds  we 
seem  to  see  the  hall  of  justice  beside  the  great  Forum.  Above  the 
people  sit  judges  in  ivory  chairs.  Their  robes  are  white,  edged 
with  broad  purple.  Ornamented  walls  of  marble  arch  and  pillar 
surround  them.     There  is  no  roof.     A  yellow  awning  keeps  off 


CLOUD    PICTURES.  603 

the  sunshine.  On  one  side  sit  the  jurymen.  Behind  stand  the 
lictors,  with  axe  and  rods.  The  place  is  open  to  the  public,  and 
if  all  were  known,  the  bulk  of  the  crowd  are  Christians.  We 
recognize  the  faces  of  some  of  Paul's  companions,  come  to  hear 
what  is  to  happen  to  their  friend.  The  accusation  is  that  he 
deserves  death  for  teaching  Christianity;  and  he  hopes  to  get  a 
judgment  that  throughout  the  whole  Roman  Empire  it  is  lawful 
for  any  one  to  be  a  Christian.  There,  with  frowning  faces,  are 
the  Jewish  accusers,  with  a  Roman  advocate  to  put  their 
accusation  into  fine  language,  as  Tertullus  did  at  Csesarea.  And 
there  stands  the  bent  figure  of  Paul,  in  his  Jew's  brown  cloak 
and  kerchief,  old,  but  vigorous  still.  For  years  he  has  been 
longing  for  this  glorious  hour,  when  he  would  stand  before  the 
highest  court  in  the  world,  and  plead  for  the  highest  thing  in  the 
world.  He  has  prepared  his  speech,  and,  inspired  of  God,  he  will 
deliver  it.  But  the  clouds  close  over  the  picture,  and  hide  the 
judgment  of  the  men  in  robes  of  white  and  purple ;  clouds,  and 
yet  more  clouds,  roll  round  the  figure  of  the  man  in  the  brown 
cloak. 

Again  there  is  a  shadowy  outline  amid  the  driving  mist  of 
a  ship  upon  the  sea,  carrying  him  away  from  Rome  to  the  west 
— Miletus,  Crete,  Ephesus,  Troy.  But  when  we  inquire  when  he 
went,  or  how,  there  is  no  clear  answer,  as  the  clouds  darken  over 
the  picture. 

Again  the  gloom  is  smitten  apart,  not  with  golden  bars  of  sun- 
shine, but  with  lightning.  He  is  a  prisoner,  closer  kept,  accused 
of  some  deadly  thing.  Onesiphorus  finds  him  in  chains.  And  as 
the  light  grows  white  upon  his  figure,  he  moves  and  is  standing 
amid  the  marble  arches  of  the  law  court,  before  judges.  Many 
faces  are  there,  of  friends  and  foes.  With  chained  hand  upraised, 
he  states  his  defence,  and  there  is  silence.  Something  has  gone 
wrong.  No  one  takes  his  side,  judges  or  jury.  His  friends  are 
forsaking  him.  But  see !  his  face  shines,  for  God  strengthens 
him ;  and  he  speaks  with  his  old  gestures,  fire,  and  eloquence, 
pleading  for  liberty,  that  the  gospel  of  Jesus  might  be  fully 
proclaimed,  and  that  all  nations  might  hear.  The  judges  rise 
from  their  ivory  seats,  and  in  their  purple-bordered  robes  fade 
away.  The  court  dissolves.  He  is  delivered  from  the  mouth  of 
the  lion,  but  not  set  free.  "  What  was  the  judgment  ? "  we  cry. 
But  for  answer,  clouds  and  driving  mist  coil  and  darken  about 
the  figure  of  the  man. 

Once  more  the  clouds  are  rent  with  blue,  and  we  see  him 
plainly,  even  with  sunshine  on  his  white  hair.  He  is  still  a 
prisoner,  chained,  but  his  lion  spirit  can  no  man  chain.     He  has 


504  THE    BURNING    OF   ROME. 

friends  about  him,  and  we  know  some  faces.  He  is  writing  a 
letter  to  his  child  Timothy — now  depressed,  now  hopeful.  He 
hopes  to  be  set  free,  for  he  is  guiltless,  but  fears  he  will  not 
escape.  This  is  what  we  read,  written  with  thick,  black  ink  on 
the  fibrous  paper  : — 

"  Be  sober  in  all  things  ;  for  I  am  already  being  offered  up 
as  a  sacrifice,  and  the  time  of  my  death  is  come.  I  have  fought 
a  good  fight,  I  have  finished  the  race,  I  have  kept  the  faith : 
and  there  is  laid  up  for  me  the  crown  of  righteousness,  which 
God,  the  righteous  judge,  will  give  me  at  that  day  :  and  not  to 
me  only,  but  to  all  who  love  Jesus.     Only  Luke  is  with  me." 

The  clouds  close,  whirling  and  seething,  clinging  round  the 
much-loved  figure,  and  we  see  him  again  no  more.  We  call  into 
the  silences,  we  listen  amid  the  storm,  but  hear  no  voice ;  we 
probe  the  darkness,  and  through  cloud  rents  gaze  into  slaughter 
pits,  fiery  gulfs,  and  on  fleeing  bands ;  but  among  the  living  or 
the  dead  there  is  no  figure  that  answers  to  his.  With  reluctant 
hand  we  cover  our  eyes.  We  last  see  the  heroic  soul  alone, 
his  body  chained,  his  mind  free,  burning  with  divine  love  and 
grandeur,  but  about  to  disappear  amid  the  frightful  holocaust 
kindled  by  the  white  hand  of  the  Caesar  to  whom  he  had 
appealed. 


The  Burning  of   Rome. 

ROME  :    AGED  60-64. 

WE  now  turn  to  the  Rome  that  wept  round  the  chained 
prisoner,  soon  to  become  a  ring  of  fire.  Between  these 
two  satyrs — the  tigress  Poppsea  as  his  private  adviser,  and  the 
vile  Tigellinus  as  his  public  counsellor — Nero,  the  sandy-haired 
youth,  capered  down  the  path  of  infamy. 

He  tired  of  Rome,  and  longed  to  strut  and  sing  in  other  lands. 
The  cultured  Greeks  of  Athens  had  never  been  thrilled  with  the 
sound  of  his  cracked  voice.  The  coppery  Egyptians,  in  their 
ancient  cities,  with  their  dark  and  massive  temples,  on  the  banks 
of  the  Nile,  had  never  looked  upon  the  man-god,  with  his  curled 
hair  and  mincing  steps.  But  the  Senate  flattered  him  by  saying 
that  the  people  wished  him  to  remain  as  the  leader  of  their  amuse- 
ments, and  he  graciously  consented  to  stay  at  home.  They  did 
wish  him,  that  their  regular  supplies  of  corn  might  not  be  tam- 
pered with  in  his  absence. 

In  his  role  of  royal  fool  and  people's  favourite  he  devised 


THE    BURNING    OF    ROME.  505 

different  forms  of  public  entertainment,  and  almost  daily  dined 
publicly  with  his  favourites,  leading  the  way  in  gluttony  and 
drunkenness.  And  the  people,  made  familiar  with  such  shameless 
wickedness,  imitated  the  ways  of  their  masters. 

Near  one  of  his  palaces  there  was  a  large  lake,  planted  round 
with  beautiful  trees ;  and  on  one  occasion  the  grass  under  the 
trees  was  crowded,  by  his  orders,  with  the  wealthiest  people 
of  the  city,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  dressed  in  fantastic  dresses, 
feasting  and  drinking  in  silken  tents,  while  he  and  his  favourite 
men  and  women  banqueted  and  went  through  a  performance 
on  a  splendidly-decorated  raft  that  was  rowed  with  silver  oars 
up  and  down  the  lake,  to  slow  music.  On  one  never-to-be- 
forgotten  day  they  saw  the  youthful  emperor,  arrayed  in  a 
woman's  clothing,  and  covered  with  a  bride's  saffron  veil,  go 
through  a  mock  ceremony  of  marriage  with  one  of  his  favourites, 
as  a  piece  of  amusement,  out  on  that  ribbon-decked  raft. 

But  a  dreadful  calamity  was  swiftly  approaching  the  city. 
Fire  and  destruction,  to  an  extent  unheard  of  before  or  since,  were 
about  to  lay  it  in  ruins.  Who  commanded  the  torch  to  be  lit, 
and  whose  hand  applied  it,  will  never  be  known.  London, 
sacked  and  burned  three  years  before,  by  Queen  Boadicea  and  the 
men  of  Surrey,  was  the  destruction  of  a  village  compared  to  it. 

On  July  19,  the  hottest  time  of  the  year  63,  when  the  wooden 
tenements  of  Rome  were  dry  as  tinder  under  the  scorching  sun, 
flames  suddenly  shot  up  from  the  sheds  and  stores  filled  with  in- 
flammable things  built  against  the  east  end  of  the  vast  wood-seated 
Circus  Maximus,  where  Nero  played  the  fool.  A  strong  east  wind 
swept  the  sparks  and  flames  with  furnace  draught  through  the 
main  valleys,  lined  with  houses,  as  the  wooden  terraces  of  the 
circus  blazed  up  to  the  skies.  The  flames  leaped  from  street  to 
street,  and  valley  to  valley,  consuming  with  frightful  rapidity  the 
wood  tenements  of  the  poor,  springing  up  the  slopes  of  trees,  and 
attacking  the  stone  houses  of  the  rich.  The  fire  swept  right 
across  the  city,  and  only  stopped  at  the  river,  but  not  until  it 
had  consumed  the  Jews'  quarter  at  the  Fabrician  bridge,  where 
we  think  Paul  lived.  Stopped  there  by  water,  the  flames  spread 
northward,  and  for  six  days  the  summer  sun  was  darkened  with  a 
pall  of  smoke,  that  showed  the  onward  march  of  destruction,  while 
by  night  the  ruddy  glare  in  the  heavens  told  where  the  fire  fiend 
was  at  work. 

As  if  to  mock  the  frightful  sufferings  of  the  common  people, 
the  six  days  of  burning  had  scarcely  ceased  when  flames  broke 
out  again  in  the  property  of  the  demon  Tigellinus,  in  a  part  of 
the  city  which  had  hitherto  escaped.     The  wind  changed,  and  for 


606  THE    BURNING    OF   ROME. 

three  days  more  the  flames  of  burning  streets  again  licked  the 
skies,  and  this  time  temples,  halls,  porches,  theatres,  and  public 
buildings  were  consumed.  We  speak  of  the  great  fire  of  London 
which  lasted  four  days !  Rome  burned  for  nine  days,  over  three 
times  the  extent  of  city. 

When  at  last  the  skies  cleared  and  the  sun  shone  upon  the 
blackened  ruins,  the  wretched,  homeless  people,  in  their  desjDair, 
glared  round  them  for  some  one  to  blame.  They  were  accustomed 
to  praise  the  emperor  for  all  good  things,  and  to  blame  him  for 
misfortune ;  for  was  not  he  their  god  1  When  the  fire  began  he 
was  at  Antium  enjoying  the  sea-breezes,  and  when  word  came 
that  Rome  was  burning  he  stayed  on  enjoying  himself.  It  was 
not  until  he  heard  the  flames  were  near  his  favourite  gardens 
that  he  drove  to  the  city. 

The  people  were  enraged  with  the  emperor's  callousness,  and 
his  conduct  during  the  days  following  the  fire  filled  their  minds 
with  suspicion.  It  was  rumoured  in  the  city,  and  soon  every 
tongue  was  repeating  it,  that  when  the  fire  was  raging  with 
terrific  grandeur,  Nero  watched  it  like  a  delighted  child  from 
his  palace  on  the  hill,  and  calling  for  his  lyre,  sang  to  a  few 
choice  friends  the  ballad  of  the  burning  of  Troy.  Another 
rumour  was  that  he  was  once  heard  to  say,  "Perish  the  world 
in  fire  in  my  lifetime ! "  He  had  also  caused  extensive  pro- 
vision to  be  made  for  housing  the  common  people  in  huts  across 
the  Tiber,  and  plans  were  ready  for  rebuilding  Rome,  with  wide, 
straight  streets,  and  splendid  buildings,  the  chief  of  which  was  a 
palace  for  himself,  more  magnificent  than  had  ever  been  built  by 
man,  to  be  called  "The  Golden  Palace." 

And  the  people  whispered  that  Nero  ordered  Rome  to  be 
burned,  and  as  time  passed  the  belief  spread  and  deepened,  and 
whispers  grew  to  murmurs,  and  it  was  chalked  in  white  on  the 
walls,  and  the  emperor  became  alarmed.  He  had  fed,  amused, 
and  degraded  the  people  to  win  their  support.  What  could  he 
do?  The  wolves  of  Rome  were  ready  to  rend  him.  There 
was  one  move  left  for  his  fiendish  brain  :  he  could  blame  the 
innocent,  and  slay  them  with  the  utmost  ferocity,  and  so  turn 
the  wolves'  eyes  away  from  himself.  There  was  a  Jewish  re- 
ligious sect  who  would  not  bow  the  knee  to  him  nor  worship 
him,  but  who  worshipped  an  unseen  God,  and  owned  one  Jesus 
the  Christ  as  their  Master.  The  Christians  were  disliked  and 
despised  everywhere,  and  his  green  eyes  turned  on  them. 


"TO   THE    LIONS    WITH    THE    CHRISTIANS!"  507 

*'To  the   Lions  with  the  Christians!" 

ROME  :    AGED    60-64. 

IT  was  reported  by  spies  and  informers  that  the  Christians  held 
secret  meetings  at  night,  in  lonely  places  outside  the  city, 
where,  with  darkened  lanterns,  they  worshipped  together,  and  per- 
formed horrid  and  unlawful  rites  which  no  one  had  ever  seen. 
They  avoided  the  city  temples,  and  did  not  bow  to  idols,  nor  place 
gifts  on  the  public  altars,  but  served  the  unseen  God  and  Jesus 
the  Christ  His  Son,  to  whom  they  offered  neither  gifts  nor  incense. 
They  had  neither  altar  nor  temple,  but  prayed  on  their  knees 
with  clasped  hands,  and  exhorted  each  other,  singing  strange 
hymns  together  with  words  like  these  : — 

"  O  Christus,  keep  and  guide 
Thy  sheep  on  every  side, 
By  ways  which  Thou  hast  trod, 
And  paths  that  lead  to  God. 
Out  of  this  world's  deep  sea 
We  cry,  O  Lord,  to  Thee ; 
Take  us,  in  Thy  love, 
To  fields  of  light  above. 
O  Christus,  save  and  hear  us, 
And  be  Thou  ever  near  us." 

The  spies  also  reported  that  they  talked  amongst  themselves  of 
a  time  to  come,  when  He  whom  they  called  the  Christ  would  return 
to  the  world,  and  would  put  down  with  fire  and  sword  those  who 
opposed  Him,  and  punish  all  who  were  not  Christians ;  and  that 
one  day  the  world  would  be  burnt  up,  and  all  who  did  not  worship 
as  they  did  would  perish.  It  was  said  that  men,  who  had  seen 
and  talked  with  the  Christ,  had  visited  the  city,  and  spoken  to 
them  at  those  secret  meetings ;  and  one,  Paul  of  Tarsus,  a  great 
teacher,  had  been  brought  a  prisoner  from  Jerusalem,  having 
appealed  for  trial  to  Csesar,  and  had  lived  in  a  house  near  the 
river,  openly  teaching  this  religion  to  all  who  came  to  him, 
and  it  had  spread  through  the  lowest  of  the  people.  And  it 
was  rumoured  that  some  of  the  soldiers,  and  even  some  ladies 
of  good  Roman  families,  were  Christians  in  secret.  These  Chris- 
tians were  so  earnest  and  strict  in  their  lives  that  they  would 
not  go  to  shameless  feasts,  or  attend  the  dreadful  shows  of 
slaughter  in  the  circus,  or  drink  much  wine.  If  one  man 
wished  to  jeer  at  another  in  the  city  for  being  strict  and 
good,  he  called  him  a  Christian. 


508  "TO   THE    LIONS    WITH    THE    CHRISTIANS!" 

Informers  said  that  the  men  who  came  to  the  city  teaching 
this  new  religion  were  all  Jews.  The  Christ  was  a  Jew,  and  the 
Christians  worshipped  the  God  of  the  Jews.  It  all  arose  from 
these  pests  of  the  city,  the  Jews,  who  were  twice  banished,  but 
had  crept  back  again.  The  Jews  had  no  right  to  be  in  Rome ! 
They  hated  Rome  and  the  emperor  !  The  fire  began  amongst 
their  wooden  sheds  and  flimsy  shops  at  the  Circus  Maximus, 
where  so  many  of  them  sold  their  trashy  stuff,  as  dealers  and 
peddlers. 

Fed  with  lies,  the  cowardly  young  emperor  was  advised  to 
proclaim  that  they  had  set  fire  to  the  city  as  a  part  of  their 
religion,  and  that  every  Christian — man,  woman,  or  child — who 
would  not  give  up  their  religion  should  be  put  to  death,  in  order 
to  stamp  out  Christianity  as  a  public  danger.  The  edict  was  duly 
proclaimed  by  criers  in  the  Forum,  and  amid  the  seven  green  hills 
the  doom  of  Christ's  people  was  pronounced  before  the  silent 
temples,  and  amid  the  hum  of  buying  and  selling. 

Then  began  the  first  of  these  awful  persecutions  of  Christians 
to  the  death  of  which  the  world  has  seen  so  many.  The  harrow- 
ing story  has  been  written  in  many  boolcs.  Debased  and  maddened 
with  excesses,  the  young  emperor  caused  his  soldiers  to  hunt  them 
out  of  their  houses  and  through  the  streets,  while  the  mobs  jeered 
and  shouted,  "To  the  lions  with  the  Christians!"  and  joined  in  the 
chase.  Sparing  neither  age  nor  sex,  he  imprisoned,  tortured,  and 
put  them  to  death  with  every  form  of  cruelty,  determined  that 
not  one  should  survive ;  while  they,  following  the  pattern  of  their 
dear  Master,  did  not  resist,  and  hardly  even  tried  to  escape.  Many 
who  were  not  put  to  death  at  once  were  reserved  for  the  wild-beast 
shows  in  the  circus.  Tacitus,  the  Latin  historian,  tells  us  that  only 
those  were  at  first  seized  who  acknowledged  themselves  Christians. 
Afterwards  a  vast  number  who  were  pointed  out  were  condemned, 
not  so  much  for  burning  the  city  as  for  being  haters  of  mankind. 
Their  death  was  accompanied  by  mockery.  They  were  wrapped 
in  skins,  to  be  torn  in  pieces  by  dogs ;  they  were  crucified  on 
crosses ;  they  were  set  on  fire,  to  serve  as  torches  at  night.  Nero 
lent  his  own  gardens  for  the  sight,  and  gave  a  chariot  race  on  the 
occasion,  going  about  freely  in  the  crowd  dressed  as  a  chariot 
driver. 

And  thus  this  fiend  encouraged  the  people  to  come  and  look 
at  the  horrid  spectacles  of  cruelty  which  he  invented  for  them. 
But  gradually  they  began  to  see  that  these  unresisting  Christians 
— men,  women,  and  children — were  being  thrown  to  the  lions  with 
prayers  upon  their  lips,  not  because  they  would  not  deny  that  they 
were  Christians,  but  for  some  other  reason  lurking  in  the  bosom  of 


JESUS    AND    PAUL.  509 

the  emperor.  Tacitus  says  further  that  the  people,  with  their  usual 
changeableness,  turned  to  pity  for  the  suflferers,  and  while  think- 
ing they  deserved  punishment,  felt  that  it  was  not  for  their  guilt, 
nor  for  the  good  of  the  city,  they  were  being  slain,  but  only  to  feed 
the  ferocity  of  a  single  man.  Still  the  terrible  killing  went  on, 
for  the  vile  emperor  had  got  such  a  taste  for  sights  of  slaughter 
in  the  public  circus  that  nothing  would  stop  him  but  the  Hand 
that  is  over  every  one,  from  the  beggar  in  rags  to  the  emperor  in 
purple. 

Amid  these  flames  and  smoke,  the  crash  of  burning  homes,  the 
cries  of  terror-stricken  people,  bloodshed,  the  roar  of  lions,  and 
the  hoarse  applause  of  ten  thousand  human  voices,  under  the 
glittering  eyes  of  a  fiendish  emperor,  the  figure  of  Paul  the  aged 
is  lost.  Whether  he  perished  in  the  flames,  or  by  the  teeth  of 
lions,  or  by  the  glittering  axe  of  the  headsman,  who  can  tell? 
Known  to  the  people,  the  soldiers,  judges,  and  even  in  the  palace, 
as  the  leading  Christian  in  Kome,  how  could  he  escape  1  He  would 
not  hide  his  head  who  was  a  tower  of  strength  to  others.  And 
when  women  and  children,  youths  and  trembling  maidens,  were 
taken,  how  could  he  be  passed  over  ?  On  one  day  the  vast  floor 
of  the  circus  was  planted  so  thick  with  crosses  that  there  was 
scarce  room  to  pass  between.  On  one  night  Nero  had  his  gardens 
lit  up  with  human  torches. 

The  manner  of  the  ending  of  the  long  life  that  was  worn  out  in 
self-denial  and  enthusiasm  for  others  is  hidden.  But  not  so  with 
Nero,  whose  life  of  selfishness  was  spent  in  the  wildest  forms  of 
self-indulgence  and  ever-widening  circles  of  evil.  With  shattered 
health,  unsettled  brain,  and  the  increasing  terrors  of  cowardice, 
he  continued  his  career  of  evil,  until  even  Rome  could  stand  it  no 
longer,  and  he  was  scared  from  the  city,  terrified  with  dreams  and 
voices,  riding  like  a  madman  to  a  villa  in  the  country,  and  carry- 
ing secret  poison  in  a  gold  box.  And  there,  terrified  by  the  sounds 
of  horsemen  coming  to  seize  him,  he  placed  a  dagger  to  his  breast, 
and  a  slave  drove  it  home,  perishing  at  the  age  of  thirty. 


Jesus  and   Paul. 

IN  Paul  we  are  continually  reminded  of  Jesus,  and  of  where 
they  touch  and  where  they  diff'er.  Their  childhood  was 
different,  their  manhood  not  alike.  Jesus  was  brought  up  amid 
the  simplicities  of  village  life,  and  the  quiet  companionship  of 
hills,  brooks,  woods,  clouds,  winds,  and  stars  of  heaven,  the  beasts 


510  JESUS    AND   PAUL. 

of  the  field,  the  birds  of  the  air,  the  glittering  array  of  flowers 
and  brilliant  grass,  so  quickly  spread,  so  soon  withering.  He 
had  also  that  dearer  companionship,  so  distinctively  a  feature 
of  a  village — the  daily  intercourse,  in  house  and  street,  field, 
_i(arden,  and  workshop,  between  children  and  grown-up  people. 
These  sweet  influences  marked  with  bright,  strong  touches  the 
brief  period  of  His  public  life.  "You  must  become  as  little 
children,"  Jesus  said.  "  Put  away  childish  things  ;  be  men,"  said 
Paul. 

If  the  influence  of  His  early  surroundings  left  such  prints 
upon  Jesus,  we  may  expect  to  find  the  impressions  of  Paul's  early 
years  even  more  deeply  stamped.  He  was  a  town  boy.  The 
spreading  flower,  the  tinted  cloud,  the  purple  hill,  the  bird  in 
flight  had  no  special  word  for  him.  Soldiers  arming  and  disarm- 
ing, the  sign  of  force ;  trained  athletes  running,  wrestling,  boxing 
with  mailed  fists,  the  sign  of  skill ;  idols  of  wood  and  stone,  the 
sign  of  darkness,  early  impressed  him,  and  held  sway  to  the  end. 
Life  was  a  fight  in  which  strength,  skill,  caution,  expediency — 
the  pen  as  well  as  the  tongue— were  to  be  used. 

His  father  was  a  Pharisee  and  a  Roman  citizen,  and  Paul  was 
proud  of  it.  He  set  religious  learning  before  the  boy  as  the  chief 
thing  to  be  desired,  for  by  it  he  would  reach  holiness ;  and  from  a 
child  until  he  was  thirty  he  was  a  student,  learning  and  repeating 
with  grinding  toil  unknown  to  students  of  our  day.  As  he  ad- 
vanced, and  the  hidden  realms  of  study  and  speculation  opened  to 
his  mind,  the  outer  world  of  beauty  and  simplicity  receded. 
Metaphysics,  theology,  and  logic  were  the  strings  on  which  he 
played  all  tunes.  "  If  this  be  so,  then  something  else  must  be 
so,"  was  the  way  in  which,  as  a  student,  he  was  taught  to  build 
towers  of  logic,  brick  upon  brick,  until  they  touched  the  skies, 
and  forge  chains  of  reasoning,  link  upon  link,  until  they  fathomed 
the  seas.  But  after  all  they  were  only  towers  and  chains  which 
one  false  "if"  would  upset.  Thus,  while  Jesus  amazed  His 
hearers,  by  speaking  with  authority,  Paul,  until  he  was  thirty, 
did  nothing  but  argue  with  sophistical  skill,  and  repeat  the  say- 
ings of  the  rabbis.  And  this  habit  of  thought  became  so  much  a 
part  of  him  that  we  find  it  in  his  letters  and  speeches. 

When  the  great  change  came,  it  was  not  his  methods  of  thought 
and  speech  that  were  altered,  but  his  central  belief  in  the  highest 
good — his  heart — was  changed.  He  always  believed  in  God  ;  but 
whereas  from  a  child  he  thought  that  a  good  life  and  heaven 
were  to  be  reached  by  learning  and  obeying  the  religious  rules  of 
the  Jews,  henceforth  he  knew  that  they  could  only  be  attained  by 
believing  in  Jesus  and  obeying  Him.     The  Jewish  religious  rules 


JESUS    AND    PAUL.  511 

were  good,  compared  with  the  practices  of  heathenism ;  but  they 
came  far  short  of  that  higher  life,  that  perfection,  which  he  saw  in 
Jesus,  and  which  alone  could  satisfy  him. 

And  thus,  while  the  light  changed,  the  lamp  was  the  same. 
His  old  knowledge  was  not  forgotten,  but  set  aside;  his  old 
methods  of  thinking,  speaking,  writing,  were  not  eradicated; 
and  hence  in  his  after  life  we  find,  and  should  expect  to  find, 
marks  of  his  long  and  grinding  education.  He  was,  as  he 
says,  "a  man  of  like  passions  with  yourselves."  Paul  was  not 
Jesus ;  and  as  the  light  takes  colour  from  the  glass,  the  message 
of  Jesus  passing  through  him  was  explained,  illustrated,  argued 
about,  pressed  home  with  an  enthusiasm  that  carried  with  it  some- 
thing of  the  mind  of  the  disciple  along  with  the  spirit  of  the 
Master.  And  so,  if  we  find  ourselves  mystified  by  the  logic  of 
the  rabbi,  and  surprised  at  the  results  reached  through  chains  of 
theological  and  historical  argument,  the  conclusion  is  to  be  sub- 
mitted to  the  mind  of  Jesus ;  for  in  His  life  and  sayings  we  have 
the  spring  of  living  water  into  which  Paul  only  dipped  his  cup, 
to  carry  it  to  others. 

Remembering  this,  we  become  less  critical  of  the  rabbinic  style 
in  which  he  sometimes  conveys  the  divine  message,  and  have  greater 
admiration  for  the  bursts  of  inspiration  in  which,  casting  aside 
argument,  he  speaks  in  simple  language,  as  one  having  authority. 
These  are  the  veins  of  gold,  in  beds  of  crystal  hard  to  be 
broken,  which  Peter  calls  "things  hard  to  be  understood."  "When 
he  was  followed  from  town  to  town  by  relentless  countrymen 
from  Jerusalem,  the  fighting  man  was  roused,  and  he  turned 
on  them  as  rabbi  upon  rabbi.  Hence  we  find  that  much  in  his 
letters  to  disturbed  congregations  had  to  do  with  questions  which 
were  burning  then,  but  are  cold  now — whether  foreigners  must 
be  circumcised  before  they  could  be  Christians,  whether  Christians 
must  not  eat  kinds  of  food  offensive  to  Jews,  whether  they  might 
buy  cheap  food  from  the  temples,  and  whether  they  were  bound 
to  keep  the  religious  customs  of  Jews.  These  questions  are 
deeply  interesting,  as  showing  the  extreme  difficulties  which  Paul 
had  to  overcome ;  and  while  of  vital  importance  to  the  Christians 
to  whom  he  wrote,  are  not  so  to  us. 

Another  passing  subject  occupied  a  considerable  part  of  his 
letters — that  of  urging,  in  the  plainest  terms,  those  foreigners 
who  had  become  Christians  to  resist  all  enticements  to  relapse 
into  the  vicious  practices  connected  with  idolatry.  It  is  difficult 
for  us  to  conceive  of  the  drunkenness  and  immorality  which  were 
encouraged  by  the  temple  priests  in  those  old  and  crowded  cities. 
His   repeated   references  to  these   things   give   us  but   a  slight 


612       THE  FIGHT,  THE  FAITH,  THE  CROWN. 

indication  of  the  enormous  barriers  that  met  him  when  he  asked 
foreigners  to  give  up  worshipping  visible  images  of  wood  and 
stone,  give  up  going  to  the  temples  and  their  feasts  and  orgies, 
give  up  the  home  customs  and  social  habits  of  their  daily  life,  and 
turn  to  the  worship  of  an  unseen  God,  the  belief  in  the  life  of 
a  sinless  Jew  not  long  since  crucified,  and  the  practice  of  those 
virtues  of  the  higher  life  of  self-denial,  temperance,  and  humility, 
the  opposite  of  all  by  which  they  were  surrounded,  and  that  were 
practised  by  their  friends.  And  so,  as  we  read  these  letters,  we 
must  not  forget  how  much  was  written  to  converts  long  accus- 
tomed to  the  revolting  customs  of  sometimes  debased,  sometimes 
refined  idolatry. 

The  torch  he  carried  into  those  crowded  cities  and  populous 
countries  was  the  tidings  of  the  living,  unseen  God,  shown  forth 
in  Jesus  the  perfect  One,  who,  to  his  own  personal  knowledge, 
lived  in  Palestine  and  di^d  at  Jerusalem  for  all  men — a  torch  to 
dispel  the  darkness  of  idolatry,  and  kindle  thoughts  of  a  higher 
life  here  and  hereafter. 


The   Fig:ht,   the   Faith,   the  Crown. 

IN  spreading  this  new  gospel,  Paul  had  not  the  help  of  the 
evangels  of  the  life  and  sayings  of  Jesus  which  we  possess. 
They  were  not  written.  He  had  not  the  benefit  of  daily  inter- 
course with  Him  in  Galilee,  to  hear  how  He  spoke  to  the  people, 
and  in  what  words  He  clothed  His  thoughts.  Can  we  doubt  that 
such  intercourse  would  have  had  its  influence  upon  his  scholastic 
nature  1  Would  he  not  have  had  references  in  his  letters  to  tlie 
holiness  of  childhood,  and  to  little  children  as  the  first  in  His 
kingdom  of  heaven  in  the  worlds  He  did  not  see  the  light  in 
children's  faces  which  Jesus  saw,  nor  feel  the  tenderness  and  pity 
of  women  which  Jesus  felt,  or  his  command  that  in  all  things  they 
were  to  be  in  subjection  to  men  might  have  been  different.  The 
eyes  of  a  rabbi  were  averted  from  women  and  turned  upon  men. 
Broken  sayings  of  Jesus  flash  in  his  speeches  and  letters,  and 
one  burns  ever  in  his  heart  and  brain — Jesus  said  His  gospel 
was  to  be  preached  in  all  the  world.  Paul  found  by  bitter  ex- 
perience that  the  men  of  Jerusalem  would  not  listen  to  him, 
that  the  people  of  Judea  would  not  believe  him.  His  heavenly 
message  was  to  carry  the  gospel  into  other  lands.  He  found 
the  disciples  living  in  Jerusalem,  where  an  attempt  was  being 
made  to  strangle  the  gospel  in  the  bonds  of  Judaism,  and  he 
roused    them    to   a  sense  of   the  danger  and  the  importance  of 


THE    FIGHT,    THE    FAITH,    THE    CROWN.  513 

the  last  saying  of  their  Master.  And  as  the  great  idea  possessed 
him,  he  seemed  to  stand  amid  the  seven  hills  of  Rome  and  see  the 
whole  powers  of  the  empire,  like  mighty  rivers,  carrying  the  life- 
giving  waters}  of  Christianity  throughout  all  the  world. 

Into  whatever  city  he  went,  he  appealed  first  to  his  own  coun- 
trymen. They  believed  in  God,  a  higher  life,  and  a  Messiah,  and 
every  one  converted  to  Christianity  would  be  a  missionary  for  the 
conversion  of  others.  To  them  he  used  the  arguments  of  a  rabbi, 
with  which  they  were  accustomed,  appealing  to  the  common  history 
of  their  race,  to  the  books  of  Moses,  and  the  Messianic  hope. 

This  was  his  message  to  them — that  righteousness  by  keeping 
the  Jewish  religious  law  was  impossible,  and  that  they  could  only 
be  saved  from  sin  by  becoming  followers  of  Jesus  the  Christ.  To 
foreigners  his  message  was  that  they  must  believe  in  the  living 
God,  and  Jesus  His  Son,  and  turn  away  from  dead  idols,  and  live 
the  higher  life  as  seen  in  Him. 

The  false  Pharisees,  whose  secret  purpose  was  to  bind  Christi- 
anity hand  and  foot  to  Judaism,  he  met  on  their  own  ground, 
arguing  with  them  on  the  footing  that  the  Jewish  religious  law 
was  good  so  far  as  it  went.  He  went  so  near  to  accepting  the 
doctrine  of  obedience  to  their  law  that  his  fine  distinctions  con- 
fused and  enraged  them.  If  you  can  keep  the  whole  law,  you 
will  be  holy ;  but  much  hangs  on  that  if  for  you  yourselves  admit 
that  righteousness  by  the  law  is  impossible. 

In  facing  the  Sanhedrim,  he  did  not  denounce  them,  in  the 
words  of  Jesus,  as  serpents,  vipers,  hypocrites.  He  argued  with 
them,  and  set  them  warring  against  each  other  with  their  own 
theological  weapons.  With  similar  language  he  won  admiration 
from  the  Jewish  prince  Agrippa.  The  Sanhedrim  wished  him 
killed  for  preaching  Christianity,  and  accused  him  of  breaking  the 
Roman  law.  He  answered  that  Christianity  was  a  right  develop- 
ment of  the  Jewish  religion,  and  that  he  had  broken  no  law ;  and 
two  Roman  judges,  Felix  and  Festus,  found  him  innocent.  Why 
then  did  he  appeal  to  Caesar?  Here  begins  the  mystery  of  the 
end  of  his  life.  We  are  told  that  he  might  have  been  set  free 
by  Festus,  and  yet  the  appeal  went  on.  Perhaps  he  wished  to 
have  the  judgment  of  the  highest  court  in  Rome  that  Christianity 
was  within  the  law,  and  that  it  might  go  forth  through  every  law 
court  of  the  empire  that  men  were  everywhere  free  to  live  and 
teach  Christianity.  And  yet  Christianity  is  out  of  place  in  a  court 
of  law,  and  matters  of  faith  and  belief  are  above  judges.  The  final 
subject  of  appeal  is  uncertain,  and  the  result  is  foJded  in  deeper 
obscurity.  Christianity  was  planted  in  Rome  before  his  appeal, 
and  after  it  the  followers  of  Jesus  were  all  but  swept  away  in  the 
(1,040)  33 


614       THE  FIGHT,  THE  FAITH,  THE  CROWN. 

dreadful  persecutions;  so  that  while  his  case  may  have  drawn 
attention  to  the  Christians,  it  did  not  shield  them. 

That  he  stood,  sooner  or  later,  before  the  highest  court  in 
the  world,  perhaps  before  the  vilest  reprobate  alive,  to  plead  the 
cause  of  Christianity,  there  is  no  doubt.  There  is  a  glimpse  of 
him  alone,  forsaken  by  all  who  might  have  befriended  him,  but 
strengthened  by  the  God  in  whom  he  trusted,  and  pleading  that 
the  gospel  might  be  declared  free,  and  that  all  the  world  might 
hear.  As  he  reasoned  of  righteousness,  temperance,  and  judgment 
to  come,  did  Nero  tremble?  If  he  did,  it  would  not  be  with 
remorse,  but  with  a  fiendish  resolve  to  cast  to  the  lions  the  man 
who  disturbed  his  blackened  soul  with  those  piercing  eyes  and 
that  ringing  voice. 

The  mystery  surrounding  the  close  of  his  life  arises  from 
Luke's  history  neither  mentioning  the  result  of  his  appeal  nor 
his  death.  He  wrote  his  gospel  of  the  life  of  Jesus,  and  also  his 
history  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  after  Paul  had  been  two  years 
at  least  in  Rome ;  and  if  he  lived  for  some  years  more,  and  par- 
ticularly if  his  appeal  resulted  in  freedom,  and  he  travelled  through 
distant  lands  for  two  more  years,  and  was  taken  a  prisoner  and 
carried  back  to  Rome  to  be  tried  again  and  beheaded,  we  should 
expect  Luke  to  mention  this.  Some  think  Luke  wrote  a  continua- 
tion of  his  history,  containing  Paul's  later  travels  and  death,  and 
that  it  is  lost.  But  that  is  only  convenient  surmise.  Luke's 
silence  leads  us  to  think  that  the  time  and  manner  of  Paul's  death 
were  uncertain,  and  that  the  great  apostle  and  leader  perished 
amid  thousands  of  others  whose  death  is  alike  unrecorded. 

Great  was  the  life-work  of  Paul  in  spreading  Christianity. 
Inspired  with  devotion  to  the  command  of  Jesus,  obedient  to  his 
heavenly  vision,  he  travelled  far  from  Palestine,  winning  friends 
as  he  went,  who  kindled  at  his  torch,  until  they  too  were  willing 
to  endure  trials  and  brave  death,  if  only  the  new  gospel  might  be 
carried  through  new  lands  and  preached  in  fresh  cities.  Along 
with  this  fiery  enthusiasm  he  had  the  energy  and  perseverance  of 
an  intrepid  traveller,  when  travelling  was  a  continual  exposure  to 
robbers  and  wild  beasts.  And  he  had  the  rare  gift  of  being  able 
to  start  congregations,  instruct  them,  and  leave  them  filled  with 
a  determination  and  a  faith  which  enabled  them,  in  the  face  of 
ridicule  and  persecution,  to  build  on  the  foundation  which  he  had 
laid. 

As  a  witness  for  Jesus,  he  is  of  the  very  greatest.  No  one 
doubts  that  he  lived  and  spoke  and  wrote,  and  he  tells  us  that 
Jesus  was  alive  while  he  was  alive,  and  was  crucified  to  his  certain 
knowledge.     Amid  all  the  opposition  and  persecutions  of  his  own 


THE    FIGHT,    THE    FAITH,    THE    CROWN.  515 

countrymen,  they  never  once  denied  this.  They  only  denied  that 
Jesus  was  the  Messiah.  Whoever  would  doubt  Jesus  must  wipe 
out  Paul,  the  Roman  citizen  of  Tarsus, 

And  what  is  his  short  message  for  us?  Be  not  disobedient 
unto  your  heavenly  vision.  You  cannot  be  saved  from  sin  by 
your  own  acts,  but  must  turn  to  God  and  do  His  will,  believing  in 
Jesus.  His  life  is  the  highest  life,  His  death  is  for  all  men,  and 
as  He  lives  so  will  you  live. 

The  public  work  of  Jesus  is  spanned  by  three  short  years,  that 
of  Paul  by  at  least  thirty.  No  one  knew  better  how  far  he  fell 
short  of  that  beautiful  and  ideal  Life,  for  his  constant  prayer  was 
that  he  might  become  more  like  Him.  He  was  deeply  conscious  of 
the  difference.  But  the  measure  of  the  spirit  of  Jesus  given  to 
him  he  used  to  the  full — not  like  James,  in  daily  attendance  at 
the  temple,  wearing  out  his  knees  in  prayer;  but  with  soul  on  fire, 
and  with  a  deeper  feeling  of  the  needs  of  humanity,  he  swung  into  a 
wider  orbit.  From  the  time  of  his  conversion  his  life  was  full  of 
struggle — assault  and  repulse,  victory  and  defeat,  and  yet  more 
victory  ;  not  in  a  vain  attempt  to  atone  for  his  past  life — that  could 
never  be — but  in  a  determination  that  what  remained  should  be 
offered  up  to  the  service  of  Him  whom  he  had  persecuted.  Through 
doubt  and  delay,  trial  and  defeat,  failure  and  success,  he  strove, 
looking  to  Jesus,  trusting  in  God,  inspired,  but  far  from  perfect; 
saying  of  himself,  for  he  deserved  it,  "  I  am  not  fit  to  be  called  an 
apostle;"  and  saying  also,  for  he  had  a  right  to  say  it,  "/ 
have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  finished  the  race,  I  have  kept 
the  faith,  and  there  is  laid  up  for  me  the  crown  of  righteousness, 
which  God,  the  righteous  judge,  shall  give  me  at  that  day :  and  not 
to  me  only,  but  to  all  who  love  Jesus." 


THE    END. 


'BooKr    bjr  'RO'BE'RT    'BI'RT) 


Jesus  the   Carpenter 
of  Nazareth 

By  a  Layman.      Second  Edition   Revised.      I2m0y  $l.^O 

OPINIONS 

Prof.    Henry   Drummond 

**Itis  fresh  and  thoroughly  sane,  and  greatly  needed  by 
the  young  for  whom  the  book  is  intended.  ...  I  think 
the  book  has  a  future." 

Rt.  Hon.   W.  E.  Gladstone y  M.P. 

**I  cordially  wish  well  to  the  author  and  to  all  efforts 
for  setting  forth  the  person  and  character  of  our  Lord  a«  the 
central  essence  of  Christianity.'* 

Prof.    Bruce,  D.D. 

**  I  think  the  idea  of  this  book, — the  aim  and  intention, 
— excellent,  and  the  execution  beautiful.  I  wish  ministers 
were  acquainted  with  the  book.  Nothing  could  be  more 
useful  than  to  have  a  chapter  out  oi  it  read  to  the  young  in 
church." 

New  York  Independent 

**  Vivid,  reaHstic,  descriptive." 


Charles  Scribner's  Sons.  VublUher^ 


BooK.^   by  'RO'BE'RT    'BI'R'D 


Joseph  the  Dreamer 

i2moy   $i.SO 

OPINIONS   OF   THE   PRESS 

The   Interior 

"  It  may  be  safely  said,  however,  that  his  book  Will 
instruct  and  entertain  many  who  are  no  longer  children  in 
years,  but  who  have  not  lost  the  faculty  of  imbibing  instruc- 
tion through  reahstic  interpretation." 

The    Churchman 

**The  most  fascinating  story  of  the  Old  Testament  is 
here  told  anew,  in  a  style  so  simple  that  we  believe  our 
youngest  readers  will  enjoy  it." 

The    Congregationalist 

'*  Those  who  are  familiar  with  Mr.  Bird's  little  volume, 
*  Jesus  the  Carpenter  of  Nazareth, '  will  welcome  *  Joseph 
the  Dreamer. '  We  know  a  home  in  which  the  former  book 
is  brought  out  regularly  at  twilight  on  Sunday  and  is  read 
aloud  to   the  constant  dehght  o'i  the  younger  children." 

The  Independent 

**  The  story  of  Joseph,  filled  out  for  the  delight  and 
education  of  young  people,  is  here  given  with  fascinating 
beauty  of  style." 


Charles  Scribner's  Sons,  *PtibUsher^ 


Princeton  Theoloqical  Seminary  Libraries 


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